Kansas City Chiefs tight end and future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce is reportedly expected to return to the Chiefs in the 2026 NFL season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that it will likely be a one-year deal for Kelce to return to the Chiefs, as the two sides continue to negotiate a new contract.
Advertisement
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported the deal with Kansas City could be worth up to $15 million.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes appeared to confirm Kelce’s return with a post on Instagram.
“He is going to turn down more money to stay in Kansas City, to be loyal, to be with Patrick Mahomes and continue to have another shot at the Super Bowl,” Rapoport said on NFL Network.
Kelce will return to an offense that received a considerable boost after the Chiefs reached agreement with Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III on a three-year contract that could reportedly be worth up to $45 million.
Kelce, 36, was scheduled to become a free agent in 2026, approaching his 37th birthday in October. The four-time first-team All-Pro has made 11 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, with 12 consecutive campaigns of 800-plus receiving yards.
Advertisement
In his 13th NFL season, Kelce finished with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, leading the Chiefs in all three categories. He also led the team with 108 targets and 45 receiving first downs. His best performance was in Week 11’s 22-19 loss to the Denver Broncos, during which he made 9 catches for 91 yards and a TD.
Kelce joined Jerry Rice as just the second player to have 12 consecutive seasons with over 800 receiving yards and Tim Brown with 10 straight seasons of 75 or more catches. Additionally, he became the third tight end in NFL history to tally 13,000 or more receiving yards. Kelce reached that total in 192 games, faster than Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.
Advertisement
The Chiefs finished the season 6-11 after their luck in one-score games cratered and the team was hit by numerous injuries, including a torn ACL suffered by Mahomes in December as the team’s playoff hopes were hanging on by a thread.