Travis Kelce. Photo: Kara Durrette/Getty
Kansas City, Missouri –Travis Kelce wasn’t his best self heading into the Super Bowl—and not for reasons related to the game preparation. Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach has stated that the standout tight end was fighting a “pretty big illness” prior to stepping onto the field on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.
Speaking on a forthcoming episode of the NFL podcast The Insiders, Veach explained that he wasn’t excusing the Chiefs’ 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles but conceded that Kelce’s health battle didn’t help matters.
We didn’t have the conclusion of our season that we would have liked to have,” said Veach, commenting that the team had really “chosen to have a bad day on the one day.” He continued, explaining that the challenging loss would act as encouragement for the future. “You learn more about yourself through the losses than wins.”
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Will Kelce be back next year?
Amidst rumors about Kelce’s NFL future, Veach chimed in about whether the 35-year-old will play again in 2025.
“I think so. We expect Travis to be back. We look forward to having Travis back,” Veach responded. He complemented Kelce on his willingness to remain fit and have a strong relationship with quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “He makes us better when he’s in our locker room and on our field.”
Kelce himself discussed the retirement talk on the Feb. 12 podcast of New Heights, which he co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce. “I know everyone wants to know if I’m playing next year or not, and I’m just kicking everything down the road right now. I’m not making any wild decisions,” he said.
Jason, 37, weighed in on the situation during a Feb. 21 appearance on The Steam Room podcast. “I think Travis probably, in his heart, already knows what he wants to do,” the Eagles veteran said.
For the time being, Kelce appears to be intent on healing from the demanding season and determining his future. Regardless of whether he remains in the sport or not, one thing is certain—his influence on the Chiefs has been undeniable.
