Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Travis Kelce Shuts Down Retirement Talk: Eyes Records, Off-Field Success

 Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce is one of the most famous players in the league, but he wants to continue playing as long as possible.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

How long Travis Kelce will continue to play in the NFL is once again in the spotlight as the Chiefs prepare to face the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

Kelce, 35, is already the highest-earning tight end in league history, having made $93.94 million (all figures via Spotrac), but he’s still trailing Pro Football Hall of Famer and fellow former Chiefs star Tony Gonzalez in all three major statistical receiving categories.

At the Super Bowl Opening Night event on Monday, Kelce, whose stardom has risen astronomically since his relationship with Taylor Swift began in 2023, was asked what he thought he would be doing in three years. “I don’t know, hopefully still playing football,” he said. “I love doing this. I love coming into work every day, and I feel like I still got a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens.”

Kelce will cross the $100 million career earnings mark should he play next season, with a $17.25 million salary coming his way. While he was the highest-paid tight end in the NFL this season, Kelce also cashed in off the field. 

Travis and his brother, Jason Kelce, sold their podcast, New Heights, to the Amazon-owned Wondery in a deal reported to be worth $100 million over three years. Kelce is also the host of Amazon’s game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?

“I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life,” Kelce said Monday. “That’s always been the goal, knowing that football only lasts for so long. You’ve got to find a way to get into another career, another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseasons. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”

If chasing down on-field records is a goal for Kelce, Gonzalez leads his younger counterpart in receptions (1,325 to 1,004), yards (15,127 to 12,151), and touchdowns (111 to 77). Former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten also has more receptions (1,228) and yards (13,046) than Kelce.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Goodell Addresses Steve Tisch, Paris Concerns, NFL Officiating

Goodell also talked about Jay-Z and Super Bowl halftime rumors.
Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley walks the sidelines during the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Maryland Breaks Ice With $10M Mike Locksley Firing

$4.9 million is due to Locksley within 60 days.
Inglewood, CA - October 12, 2026 - SoFi Stadium: Troy Aikman prior to a regular season Monday Night Football game.
Opinion

‘Nobody Calls a Game Better’: Why ESPN Should Keep Troy Aikman

Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith have publicly backed Aikman.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/21/26 – T-Mac Backs Clippers Penalty, 80-to-1 Rays Haunt Sportsbooks, Jay-Z Picks Jay-Z

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?

NFL, Eagles Defend Handling of Jalen Hurts’s Blood Clots

The QB was examined at Cleveland Clinic in London.
Jul 2, 2026; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Blades Brown smiles with his caddie, Brett Swedberg, on the 9th green during the first round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament.
October 15, 2026

Teenage Phenom’s Pro ‘Gamble’ Paid Off With PGA Tour Record

The golfer turned professional in December 2024 when he was 17.
First at FOS
October 20, 2026

Topgolf, John Daly Strike Deal in Wake of Masters Hooters Closure

Daly, 60, last played in the Masters in 2006.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
October 15, 2026

Blake Griffin: Clippers Salary Cap Punishment ‘Probably Fits’

Griffin played eight seasons with the Clippers and made five All-Star Games.
October 14, 2026

Rafael Jodar Embroiled in Yet Another Ball Kid Controversy

Jodar told a ball boy to “give me the fucking towel.”
October 13, 2026

MLS Commissioner Don Garber Deflects on Messi Confrontation

Garber called Messi “the GOAT of all GOATs.”
October 8, 2026

Caitlin Clark Wants Mitchell Back With Fever Despite Fan Comments

Mitchell said she has yet to make a decision on her future.