Nothing’s Official, but It Looks Like Travis Kelce May Have His Retirement Plan

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs famous person tight finish Travis Kelce signed an adjusted contract with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Monday, however the chaos and misinformation across the unique reporting might have induced some followers and followers to overlook the largest information of Kelce’s deal.

“I am unable to wait to get after it these subsequent two years,” Kelce stated after signing his new contract.

“These subsequent two years.” There’s rather a lot to kind by, so let’s begin with the problems within the unique reporting.

Understanding Travis Kelce’s new contract particulars

The primary report of Kelce’s new deal was incorrectly described as “a new 2-year contract extension.” One other nationwide reporter even tweeted that Kelce’s “extension tacks on two years and $34.25 million to the two years remaining on his old deal” with Kelce being signed by 2027. That was all unsuitable, and later recanted.

The true construction of Kelce’s deal paints a really completely different image of his plans for the remainder of his time within the NFL. As clarified by Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac, Kelce’s deal is a renegotiated two-year deal that raises Kelce’s 2024-25 whole cash from $30.25 million as much as $34.25 million, guaranteeing $17 million at signing. The deal additionally ensures “most of subsequent 12 months” on the third day of the 2025 league 12 months, according to Adam Schefter.

That contract tweak makes loads of sense. Kelce will get a pleasant elevate and a few further ensures after years of being underpaid in comparison with his worth. However that is all it’s: a $4 million pay bump with some assured safety. It might have taken much less time to barter that deal than it did for some insiders to correctly report it.

A lot of the unique pleasure across the mistaken reporting was shock and celebration for “4 extra years” of Kelce in KC. In actuality, this can be establishing Kelce’s farewell tour.

Will Travis Kelce retire after the 2025 season?

Kelce, who will flip 35 in October, is already a contemporary marvel. He had his seventh-consecutive 1,000-yard season at age 33 earlier than falling simply 16 yards in need of one other 1,000-yard season in 2023, when he performed simply 15 video games. (The Chiefs rested Kelce in Week 18 to organize for the playoffs, which paid off for Kelce and the staff en path to their second-consecutive Tremendous Bowl win with traditional Kelce performances alongside the way in which.) Kelce has been requested about retirement virtually as a lot as head coach Andy Reid, who’s now below contract with KC for longer than Kelce is.

“Do you guys take into consideration retirement?” Kelce requested in response to a query about his future again in January. “Am I the one one on this boat, or is anyone else on this factor? Whoever’s not interested by stuff down the highway, I blame you. I’ve no motive to cease enjoying soccer, man. I like it. We nonetheless have success. Are available with the proper mindset, and I simply love the problem it provides me each single day to attempt to be at my finest. Like I stated, I’ve no need to cease anytime quickly.”

Two extra full seasons actually is not “anytime quickly” in soccer phrases, and Kelce has by no means been extra well-known, extra standard, or extra in-demand off the sphere. None of meaning Kelce is locked into an exit plan. If he takes cues from his brother, Jason, we might not formally know Kelce’s plans till after he is already performed his remaining season.

This is my unsolicited suggestion to Chiefs followers: Assume that Kelce meant it when he stated “these subsequent two years.” Finest-case state of affairs, perhaps Chiefs followers and the NFL get fortunate and Kelce continues to take it one 12 months at a time past 2025 and he performs “till the wheels fall off,” as he is beforehand advised. However in case you assume that he’ll more than likely spend two extra seasons in purple and gold, you will not miss your alternatives to understand probably the greatest pass-catchers the NFL has ever seen. Kelce will probably be praised and his profession will probably be eulogized around the globe after he performs his remaining snap, however it might be silly to attend till he is achieved to understand what he is already completed and what he’ll proceed to do on the sphere because the Chiefs make their run on the NFL’s first-ever three-peat.

“Feels good to be in KC,” Kelce stated after signing. “I bear in mind coming right here 12 years in the past man, it is an honor and a pleasure and I am unable to wait to get after it these subsequent two years, however no higher than proper now. Getting fired up for this 12 months, simply received out on the sphere with the boys, doggone, we’re again at it, child. Chiefs endlessly.”