Travis Kelce has been a thorn in the LA Chargers' side for over a decade. Arguably the greatest receiving tight end of all time, Kelce has been an instrumental part of the Kansas City Chiefs' dynasty that won three Super Bowls.
On Sunday, that dynasty may have ended for good with the Chargers eliminating the Chiefs from playoff contention. Kansas City already had an incoming identity crisis this offseason that's only made worse by Patrick Mahomes' torn ACL.
Kelce's future, and whether or not he'd stick around for an attempted extension of the dynasty, has been up in the air all season. The future Hall of Famer spoke for the first time since being eliminated on the latest episode of New Heights and may have unintentionally revealed his future plans.
When talking about the Mahomes injury and when he could come back, Kelce noticeably didn't refer to the Chiefs as "we" or "us". He referred to them as if he was an outsider.
“You know, hopefully, the Chiefs can get him back as soon as possible. I know right now it’s kind of right around that Week 1 or the beginning of the season next year,” Kelce said. “I know he’s gonna be doing everything he can to get back out on that field for the Chiefs as soon as possible."
Travis Kelce sounds like someone who won't be on the Chiefs next season
Guaranteeing Kelce's retirement because of the way he referred to a football team would be silly. However, whether it was intentional or was a Freudian slip, it's perfectly justified to point out the interesting nature in which he referred to the Chiefs.
Someone who knew he was coming back to Kansas City would probably refer to the team as we or us. After all, he has given his heart and soul to this organization and is a crucial part of this team's identity. Just imagine if Justin Herbert referred to his teammates and organization as "the Chargers". You probably wouldn't feel great about it.
This would be a giant nothing-burger if there wasn't already speculation about Kelce's future in the league. A possible retirement clouded the end of last season, but with one more year under contract, the all-time great decided to run it back.
With his contract expiring, and his game noticeably slowing down, Kelce may not want to stick it out another year which may not include Mahomes for a large chunk. At this stage in his career, the only reason for Kelce to come back is to compete for a Super Bowl. And right now, the Chiefs look as far away from a Super Bowl as they have ever looked in Kelce's entire career.
For the Chargers, Travis Kelce retiring opens the door for a new era
The 2025 season is still underway and the Chargers will rightfully focus on what is in front of them. After all, the goal is to win the Super Bowl every single season and the Bolts would be doing a disservice to look ahead.
But we can.
The Denver Broncos currently lead the AFC West but with the Chiefs potentially bowing out in 2026, it may be the Chargers for the taking. This version of the Chargers would arguably be atop the division already if the team's two All-Pro-caliber tackles stayed healthy. And that's without making any additions this offseason.
Now imagine this team without any significant reductions after an offseason with another draft class and over $100 million to spend in cap space. This year is special for the Bolts, but next year might be the true year where a leap is made. And it perfectly coincides with the Chiefs potentially closing the book on Kelce's career.
Time will ultimately tell if Kelce retires or decides to give it another go in 2026. But based on the temperature in the room, it'd be pretty shocking if he's out there playing against the Chargers next season.