Chiefs tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion who delayed retirement for a 14th NFL season.
Travis Kelce sat with retirement for several weeks after the Chiefs' 14-12 Week 18 loss to the Raiders ended their season. He returned. On March 9, 2026 he signed a one-year, $12 million deal that was later restructured into a three-year, $54.7 million pact. The all-time tight-end king is back for one more run with Patrick Mahomes.
Path to the league
Cincinnati Bearcats product who slid to pick 63 in the 2013 NFL Draft after a brief college suspension. Took two years to break through. From 2016 on, he caught at least 80 passes in nine straight seasons. The Mahomes era turned him into the highest-volume tight end the league has ever seen.
Career highlights
1,080 career receptions and 13,002 receiving yards, both top-five all-time among tight ends and the most ever by a Chief. Three Super Bowl champion (LIV, LVII, LVIII). Ten-time Pro Bowler. Four-time first-team All-Pro. The first tight end ever with 1,000 receiving yards in seven consecutive seasons. Broke the Chiefs' all-time touchdown record (84) in October 2025.
2025 season recap
76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns, a quiet season by his standards. Mahomes' ACL tear in December capped Kelce's production in the back half. Still gave a Hall of Fame swan-song candidate-level effort in the playoff push with Carson Wentz. Caught seven passes in the AFC Championship loss to New England.
What to watch in 2026
Kelce is 36 in October. The Chiefs handed him the three-year extension partly as a thank-you and partly because their succession plan at tight end isn't ready (third-round pick Travis Long is the heir apparent). With Mahomes returning from ACL surgery, the offense will lean on Kelce more than the Chiefs probably want. The final-season storyline is real.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Travis Kelce
- NFL.com: Kelce returns for 14th season
- Pro Football Reference: Travis Kelce
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
17 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | chiefs | 7 | 29 | 410 | 14.1 | 2 | 59 |
| 2025 | chiefs | 17 | 76 | 851 | 11.2 | 5 | 44 |
| 2024 | chiefs | 16 | 97 | 823 | 8.5 | 3 | 38 |
| 2023 | chiefs | 15 | 93 | 984 | 10.6 | 5 | 53 |
| 2022 | chiefs | 17 | 110 | 1,338 | 12.2 | 12 | 52 |
| 2021 | chiefs | 16 | 92 | 1,125 | 12.2 | 9 | 69 |
| 2020 | chiefs | 15 | 105 | 1,416 | 13.5 | 11 | 45 |
| 2019 | chiefs | 16 | 97 | 1,229 | 12.7 | 5 | 47 |
| 2018 | chiefs | 16 | 103 | 1,336 | 13.0 | 10 | 43 |
| 2017 | chiefs | 15 | 83 | 1,038 | 12.5 | 8 | 44 |
| 2016 | chiefs | 16 | 85 | 1,125 | 13.2 | 4 | 80 |
| 2015 | chiefs | 16 | 72 | 875 | 12.2 | 5 | 42 |
| 2014 | chiefs | 16 | 67 | 862 | 12.9 | 5 | 34 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | chiefs | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | chiefs | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | chiefs | 17 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021 | chiefs | 16 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 1 | 4 |
| 2019 | chiefs | 16 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2017 | chiefs | 15 | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 4 |
| 2016 | chiefs | 16 | 1 | -5 | -5.0 | 0 | -5 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Cincinnati
- Hometown
- Cleveland Heights, OH, USA
- Age
- 37
- Status
- active
Latest news about Travis Kelce
All news →Seahawks Rout Chiefs 20-3 in Week 7
Seattle Seahawks 20, Kansas City Chiefs 3 at Lumen Field. Sam Darnold went 20 of 28 for 257 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
Patrick Mahomes Reaches 100 Wins in 131 Starts, Tying Tom Brady's Pace
Kansas City beat the winless Chargers 22-6 to stay the AFC's only unbeaten team. Mahomes completed all 13 of his first-half passes without pressure despite missing two starting receivers.
Tyreek Hill Could Sign Within Days, Agent Says, With Chiefs in Contact
Update: Hill's wife testified Tuesday in a Florida civil assault and battery trial tied to the couple's divorce, and the NFL says the allegations remain under review. No signing has been reported.
Chiefs Beat Dolphins 24-10 in Week 3
Kansas City Chiefs 24, Miami Dolphins 10 at Hard Rock Stadium. Patrick Mahomes went 20 of 24 for 246 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Chiefs Edge Colts 33-30 in Week 2
Kansas City Chiefs 33, Indianapolis Colts 30 at Arrowhead Stadium. Patrick Mahomes went 32 of 47 for 382 yards with 3 touchdowns.
Chiefs Rout Broncos 31-10 in Week 1
Kansas City Chiefs 31, Denver Broncos 10 at Arrowhead Stadium. Patrick Mahomes went 15 of 27 for 184 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.
