While there was talk around Travis Kelce at Christmas about whether he planned to retire at the end of the season, the 11-time Pro Bowl player quietly retired. rose to No. 9 on the NFL's all-time receiving list.
Kelce's fifth and final catch in the Kansas City Chiefs' 20–13 loss to the Denver Broncos totaled 1,077, leading him. Anquan Boldin. Two more receptions in the Chiefs' regular-season finale could see Kelce surpass Terrell Owens in eighth place.
Statistics seemed to be the last thing on Kelce's mind as he walked off the field at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday for perhaps the last time. The Chiefs finish their season on the road next week against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kelsey's recent years have been inextricably linked with his fiancée, Taylor Swift. Was this the last time a music megastar decorate the luxurious family suite Kielce watch her boyfriend give parties? (If so, then let it be stated in the protocol that Swift wore red bomber jacket from Frankie's store.)
Kelsey, 36, admitted he felt wistful afterward.
“There are a lot of emotions,” he told reporters. “You have the whole world watching. You get to go out on prime time television with young guys. Young guys get a chance to experience what life is like in the NFL.”
Life in the NFL has been busy for Kelsey. He won three Super Bowls and will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame. And he spent his entire 13-year career with the Chiefs.
Therefore, while understanding the emotions and memories after the game, he enjoyed the adulation beforehand.
“There are only a few of them where you can stand there and appreciate 70,000 Chiefs fans cheering for you,” he explained. “I always embrace this moment.
“You feel generations of happiness and love [the fans] have. It's a beautiful thing, man.”
For ten years, Kelsey was a regional sports figure, revered throughout the Midwest as a dogged and consistent producer on the field. His profile began to change ahead of the 2022 season when he and his brother Jason launched an instantly popular podcast. “New Heights”
Kelsey and Swift began dating before the 2023 season, and a year later, the Kelsey brothers signed a three-year, $100 million podcast deal with Wonders of the Amazon. Then in August, Kelsey and Swift announced their engagement.
Tight ends, with their three-point position and proximity to tackles and defensive backs, traditionally do not attract or attract attention. But Kelsey is now a full-fledged national celebrity.
Just don't let that hide his numbers. Kelce has 73 catches for 839 yards in 2025, which ties him with Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history to reach the 800-yard mark in 12 straight seasons. Kelce is also the only tight end to top 90 catches in seven straight seasons, a streak that will end this year.
Rice, a former San Francisco 49ers great, is the best player in the NFL. best receiver of all time with 1549 catches. Larry Fitzgerald is next with 1,432 points. Then come the only tight ends with more catches than Kelce: Tony Gonzalez (1325) and Jason Witten (1228).
If Kelce decides to play another season, he will almost certainly move up to fifth place, passing Marvin Harrison (1,102), Chris Carter (1,101) and Tim Brown (1,094) in addition to Owens.
Kelce may have already decided whether now is the right time to retire. He's just not ready to say so, indicating he'll tell the Chiefs soon after the season ends.
“I will allow myself to make this decision with my family, friends and the Chiefs organization when the time comes,” he said.
