Travis Kelce spoke publicly for the first time since announcing that he was going to return to the Kansas City Chiefs during his podcast that was released on Wednesday.
Kelce, 35, initially said he was “kicking every can I can down the road” regarding his decision to retire in the episode shortly after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The star tight end said, ultimately, he still loves playing football as part of the reason for his return.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, #87, during a press conference in advance of Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans Marriott. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)
“I think the biggest thing is that I f—ing love playing the game of football,” Kelce said. “I still feel like I can play at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don’t think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them,” Kelce said on “New Heights.”
“Especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past. I want to give it a good run. I have a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was for the people around me. And I love so many people in Kansas City, both in that facility and in the community, and it’s home for me.
“I don’t want to leave that life yet. I’ve put in a lot of hard work and put in a lot of focus into being the best that I can for KC. Last year, it didn’t end well for us and I feel like there is a responsibility in me to play out the contract I initially signed to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything I’ve got and that’s what I’m gonna do, man.”
Kelce said his decision to return was based on feel and “pure gut feeling.”
“It’s similar to all the decisions I make. It’s just off of feel,” he added. “I’m not a big measure the pros and cons and all of that, pure gut feeling. I f—ing love this game, and I love going into the building with the guys that are there.”
TRAVIS KELCE’S PODCAST CONFIRMS HIS NFL RETURN WITH NOD TO LEGENDARY ‘WOLF OF WALL STREET’ SCENE
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, #87, celebrates after catching a pass during the second half of an NFL football AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
“Coach (Andy) Reid has been one of the biggest influences on my life, not just in the game of football. And I don’t want to stop going to work with him. I don’t want to stop learning from him. I don’t want to stop being the reason why he has success, or being a part of the reasons he has success. I want that guy to have the most success in the world because of who he’s been in my life.
“There are so many people in that building that I love with all my heart man. I want to keep living out those dreams and going to work with them. I never once kind of second-guessed it. Even when it got tough last year on the body or after the Super Bowl, and you’re at your all-time low, there is something in a motivating factor that you can do this and want to do this. I pulled the trigger as soon as I knew I had that feeling.”
Kelce said the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss was probably “the biggest factor” in his return, but said even if they won against the Eagles, he still might have returned.
“I mean it’s a pretty cool way to go out but I still, I think I would still have this love for the game and I think I would have thought about it more if we would have won. I think because we lost and how we lost and just the feeling.
“The ending of that game, I feel like I owe the guys that I come into that building with a whole lot more effort and focus and I just don’t know what it was during that game man. I wasn’t at my best.”
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, #87, walks off the field after a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles during NFL Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Kelce also said that he thinks he can be a better player than he was last season.
The NFL veteran was still productive last season, but his yards (823) and touchdowns (3) in the regular season this year were the lowest he has had in the full season.
If the Chiefs are to return to the Super Bowl for the fourth consecutive season next year, they will need their star tight end to be at his best.
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