Kansas City Chiefs legendary tight end Travis Kelce very well could have suited up for the last time ever in the team’s 14-12 Week 18 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chiefs finished the season with a 6-11 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since Kelce’s second season in the NFL (2014). As for the 36-year-old tight end who is a three-time Super Bowl champion and recently engaged to pop star Taylor Swift, this season was the final year of his contract.
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With Kelce only getting closer to 40 and his personal life taking on a new persona of its own, there have been plenty of questions about how much football he has left in the tank. Despite the age and personal life questions, Kelce posted 76 catches for 851 yards and five scores.
However, should he walk away, The Athletic’s sports media insider Andrew Marchand recently revealed that there’d be plenty of lucrative opportunities for him that don’t involve him getting tackled.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts after making a catch for a first down against the Denver Broncos.Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
When discussing the topic of current coaches or players whom he could see in the booth calling NFL games on a recent “Everybody Loves Sports Media,” Marchand reveals that when Kelce retires, he could “definitely” make the transition to television.
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Later in the show, Marchand doubled down on his Kelce take, expressing that the future Hall of Fame tight end could net a deal in the $10-20 million range if he truly wanted to.
“He’s (Kelce) a guy who is only going to take a number one job,” Marchand said. “To me, he’s going to get anywhere from 10 to 20 million, because he’s Travis Kelce. I think when you do a list five years ago, 10 years ago, Kelce is on that list. Now, uh, he’s getting married to someone (Taylor Swift) that makes him even bigger.”
Ultimately, broadcasting will always be there for Kelce, but it comes down to whether or not he is ready to hang up the cleats. With his wedding expected to be in June of this year, it is unclear when he will announce his next career plans.
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Related: Travis Kelce Off-Field Update Emerges Before Chiefs Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.