The NFL star has been with the Chiefs since the team drafted him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft
Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Travis Kelce has reportedly signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs worth up to $15 million
- Kelce turned down higher offers from other teams to remain with the Chiefs for his 14th NFL season, according to multiple reports
- The tight end previously contemplated retirement, but expressed his continued love for the game and desire to play
Travis Kelce is reportedly coming back for another year with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The tight end, 36, will play his 14th season with the team he helped win Super Bowl championships in 2020, 2023 and 2024, a source told ESPN on Monday, March 9.
The source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Kelce's deal is worth at least $12 million and carries a maximum value of $15 million.
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Kelce made his decision before the beginning of the free agency period and informed the Chiefs of his intention to return on Monday, ESPN reports.
Credit: Ian Maule/Getty
Sources also told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Kelce turned down more financially lucrative offers from other teams during the free agency period to stay with the Chiefs.
Kelce's contract with the Chiefs was set to expire on Wednesday, March 11, following a two-year, $34.25 million extension in April 2024.
The NFL star is currently ranked 52nd on The Athletic's list of top 150 free agents and is the fifth-ranked tight end.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid previously addressed Kelce's future during a Feb. 20 press conference.
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"There is communication," Reid, 67, said. "That’s the main thing. That means people want to move forward. I think that's where Trav is."
"I’m not trying to put words in his mouth at all, and I try to give him some space here," Reid continued. "He’s been doing this a long time, and he can sort all that out as he goes forward. We’re proceeding with that, and there is communication."
During a Jan. 7 episode of New Heights, Kelce said he planned to spend "a couple weeks" or "a month or so" being a "regular human" and contemplating the decision to retire.
Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty
"I've talked to a few people in the facility already, you know, having the exit meetings and everything, and they know where I stand at least right now," Kelce said, noting that he still has "a lot of love for the game" but deciding to retire is a "tough thing to navigate."
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“At the same time, if my body can heal up and rest up and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think, I would do it in a heartbeat," Kelce continued.
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