What It Would Take for Travis Kelce to Play Another NFL Season

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Travis Kelce is a real tough kid, but he’s not sure if he can handle another football season. 

Following the end of the 2025-2026 season, the Kansas City Chiefs’ star player considered what he needed to do to return for another year—or if he would retire from the NFL after 13 seasons.

It’s really hard to end a career like that, especially after achieving so much and setting such a high bar for yourself,” Travis told his brother Jason Kelce on the January 7th episode of their podcast, New Heights. “I just need to be a normal person for a few weeks, maybe a month, and figure out what’s next for me in football.”

Travis Kelce, 36, recently got engaged to Taylor Swift in August and has been thinking about his future. He says he has a good idea of when he’ll retire from football “at least for now,” but it’s still hard to imagine leaving the sport he loves. He describes figuring it all out as a “tough process.”

Travis said he’d definitely play again if his body recovered and he felt sure he could handle another long season of 18 to 21 weeks.

Ultimately, he wasn’t ready to commit to a stance publicly—one way or another. 

He explained he was still working things out and planned to do so with the support of his family and friends.

As someone who follows relationships closely, I’ve been really struck by Taylor and Travis’ connection. She’s made it clear – and I admire this so much – that she’s with him through thick and thin, celebrating his wins and supporting him even when things don’t go as planned. It’s a beautiful example of true partnership, being there for someone no matter what.

Taylor described the competition as incredibly intense, comparing it to a physical battle like gladiators. He explained, during an October interview on The Tonight Show, that it felt dangerous and that he was completely focused on what his opponent was doing throughout the entire season.

Taylor feels equally supported by Travis when it comes to her career. Appearing on The Late Show in December, she explained that she can comfortably discuss any aspect of her life as a pop star with him.

For more on why Taylor and Travis’ match is truly legendary, keep reading…

Even before Taylor Swift famously went to the Kansas City Chiefs game on September 24, 2023, Travis Kelce was a fan of hers.

It came out in August 2023, through a TikTok video posted by the Chiefs, that the star tight end was interested in Taylor Swift – and looking back, that’s when they were actually starting to date privately.

Before Travis could say who his celebrity crush was, his teammate, wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, blurted out, “Taylor Swift!”

Travis smiled at the camera before holding his finger up to his mustache, saying, “Alright now!”

Also, Travis wasn’t the only celebrity at Taylor’s incredibly popular Eras Tour before they started dating. We’ll share details about when their romance began shortly…

Travis often seems lost in thought, particularly when he sees Taylor on the jumbotron at his games. Compared to Taylor’s past relationships, he’s definitely a bit different.

She often dates people in creative fields, like actors—including Joe Alwyn, Jake Gyllenhaal, Taylor Lautner, and Tom Hiddleston—and musicians such as Calvin Harris, John Mayer, Harry Styles, and, most recently, Matty Healy.

Maybe that’s why her relationship with the playful and fun-loving athlete—who recently signed a new two-year contract with the Chiefs for $34.25 million—feels like a welcome change for Taylor. It comes after her very private six-year relationship with Joe ended in April 2023.

It seems the ten-time Pro Bowler got what he wanted – a relationship with the superstar. He’d strongly hinted at wanting this romance, and it appears his persistent expressions of affection paid off.

Travis recently shared the story of how he tried to meet Taylor Swift at her Eras Tour concert in Kansas City on July 7, 2023. He’d made a friendship bracelet with a number on it – he didn’t specify if it was his jersey or phone number – hoping to give it to her.

Although he said he was upset about missing her after the concert, Taylor revealed to TIME in December 2023 that she eventually listened to his podcast.

I was so flattered when Travis playfully called me out on his podcast – I thought it was really cool! That’s actually how we started spending time together. We had a good amount of time to get to know each other privately before anyone else knew we were together, and I really appreciate that.

The idea that Taylor and Travis first met on September 24th? Taylor told TIME that wouldn’t happen – they’d never publicly announce a first date like that!

Since starting to date Travis, Taylor Swift has been out in public more often. This includes spending time with friends in New York City and celebrating at events like the 2023 MTV VMAs and the 2024 Grammys.

Her most famous moment came when she was seen sitting in Travis Kelce’s suite at the Kansas City Chiefs game on September 24, 2023, while they played the Chicago Bears.

Taylor didn’t hide from the cameras – she excitedly cheered and yelled “Let’s go!” when Travis scored. Both she and Travis were surprised when she accepted his invitation, just like everyone else.

Travis later mentioned on his podcast, New Heights, how impressed he was when Taylor showed up. He said everyone in their suite, including friends and family, thought she was great.

“She looked amazing,” he added. ” It was definitely a game I will remember, that’s for damn sure.”

Since then, Taylor and Travis have been seen on dates together in various cities around the globe, and they’ve frequently visited a Christmas-themed bar in Kansas City, where they openly displayed affection for each other.

Taylor Swift has shared with TIME that she stepped back from public life following the 2016 leak of a phone call involving Kim Kardashian. Now, she’s ready to re-emerge and plans to attend events whenever she chooses.

“Life is short,” she remarked. She realized she’d lost years by staying isolated at home and wouldn’t get that time back. She’s learned to trust more over the past six years.

On his podcast on September 27, 2023, Travis shared some details about his relationship with Taylor, but also indicated he wants to be more private about his personal life in the future.

I realize I’m the one who started all the buzz,” he said. “Making those friendship bracelets and talking about being upset I didn’t meet Taylor definitely brought the attention to me. But I didn’t intend to share every detail of what’s been happening between us.

He clarified that his personal life is just that – personal – and he wants to be respectful of everyone involved. He’s happy with how things are going and really enjoyed the weekend. From now on, he plans to mostly stick to talking about sports and keeping things lighthearted.

Okay, so in November 2023, he was talking to the Wall Street Journal, and he really emphasized how much he wanted to seem totally unfazed and nonchalant about everything. Like, he was determined to play it cool, and he made sure everyone knew it! It was so him, honestly.

People were constantly telling me not to mess things up, and I was just thinking, ‘Okay, I understand,'” he explained. He added that his main concern was avoiding saying anything that might alienate Taylor.

Despite this, he hasn’t been able to avoid mentioning his girlfriend publicly—he’s acknowledged she helped increase his jersey sales and described her as “amazing” after she received boos from New England Patriots fans during a game in December 2023.

He told the Wall Street Journal that he’s not usually very expressive, but being with Taylor has been incredibly inspiring. He said seeing how intelligent she is has been amazing, and he feels like he’s constantly learning from her.

Similar to Taylor, who has a close relationship with her parents, especially her mother Andrea, Travis comes from a very close family, including his parents Ed and Donna Kelce.

In February 2023, Donna Kelce gained widespread attention as the first mother to see her two sons compete against each other in the Super Bowl. Her son Travis played against his older brother, Jason Kelce, who was the center for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Donna shared with ET how incredible it was that both her sons had achieved so much – getting through high school, college, and playing professional football. To have both of them play in the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, and then for this recent event to happen, felt like a dream. She said it was a truly special moment for the whole family and was almost unbelievable.

After 25 years of marriage, Donna and Ed divorced, but she showed her support for both of her sons by wearing a jacket split between the colors and logos of the Eagles and Chiefs.

Following the Super Bowl, where the Chiefs defeated the Eagles, Travis and Jason Kelce shared a touching moment as they thought about experiencing it all with their mother, Donna.

Jason said on the New Heights podcast that seeing his mom was incredibly moving. He described it as an amazing experience, adding that she was overjoyed for a full week.

Travis said, ‘She was a true champion.’ He explained that she was completely in control and performed brilliantly throughout.’

Similar to Taylor and her brother Austin Swift, Travis shares a close relationship with his older brother Jason, who first sparked his interest in football.

Beyond their successful NFL careers, Travis and Jason Kelce started their podcast, New Heights, in September 2022. The podcast has not only brought them closer together but has also proven to be financially rewarding.

In February 2023, Travis told NBC Sports that this process created a dedicated two- to three-hour time slot for them to discuss their experiences, both during the games and throughout the week. He described it as being ‘almost like therapy’.

Although they didn’t officially meet until 2023, there were subtle connections between them beforehand.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are both friends with actor Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh Sperry. In fact, Taylor asked them to appear in the music video for her 2021 song, “I Bet You Think About Me,” from the album Red (Taylor’s Version).

In 2022, Travis spent some time practicing golf with Miles and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes before the American Century Championship.

Miles shared a photo on Twitter of himself golfing with the athletes, captioning it “Grip it and rip it.” Travis confirmed their close friendship by resharing the photo with the message, “Back at it like we never left!!”

It’s funny, Miles is a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan, so he might have helped connect Travis and Taylor for an in-person meeting with Jason.

Taylor Swift went to the Chiefs game on September 24, 2023, by herself, but on October 1st, when the Chiefs played the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, she brought along a group of famous friends.

She was joined by her close friends Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, along with Ryan’s friend Hugh Jackman. Sophie Turner, Sabrina Carpenter, and Antoni Porowski from Queer Eye were also there.

Seeing them at the game was a big sign, but Ryan starting to follow Travis on Instagram really confirmed things.

Travis has appeared in four Super Bowls, winning three, and he’s even hosted Saturday Night Live. This shows he’s comfortable performing under pressure and in the public eye.

It might not seem like a big deal, but Taylor Swift has written several songs about being worried that her fame could strain her relationships. For example, she explores this in songs like “Peace” and “The Archer.”

Taylor explained that how comfortable someone is being with her depends on their partner. If a partner disapproves, she might feel pressured to hide the relationship, which she dislikes. It makes her feel like she’s doing something wrong and has to go into hiding, and she doesn’t want to feel like she’s a fugitive just for being in a relationship.

“I feel like if you can be in a relationship and have it seem normal, that would be good.” 

In his interview with the Wall Street Journal, Travis showed he can handle the attention that comes with being married to someone as famous as Taylor.

Honestly, no one I’ve ever been with has that kind of energy, that magnetic pull… it’s totally new territory for me, I’ve never had to navigate anything like this before! But, and this is important, I’m not scared off by it. Not one bit. I’m actually… intrigued.

She’s constantly under intense public attention – photographers are always following her, whether she’s at home, eating out, or traveling. He just wants her to be able to live her life and have fun. He feels if she can handle the attention, he should be able to as well.

Fans went wild after a video surfaced of Taylor Swift running into Travis Kelce’s arms for a kiss right after her concert in Argentina in November 2023 – further fueling romantic speculation. The sweet moment came after Taylor playfully changed the lyrics to her song Karma from “the guy on the screen” to “the guy on the Chiefs,” a surprise for Travis, who was in the audience with Taylor’s father, Scott Swift.

Supporting each other at games—like Taylor flying from Tokyo to the Super Bowl after a concert to see Travis play—demonstrates how committed they are to their relationship.

Taylor explained to TIME that they enjoy openly supporting each other. “We’re just there for each other, and we don’t worry about what others think,” she said. “It’s the opposite of hiding your relationship and going to great lengths to keep it secret. We’re proud to be there for each other and celebrate what we love.”

If seeing Taylor Swift at NFL games bothers you, she’s clearly not going to let it upset her.

As a huge supporter of Travis, I’m honestly just there to cheer him on! It’s wild knowing there’s a camera somewhere half a mile away, but having no clue when we’re on TV. I really have no idea if they’re showing me a lot, a little, or not at all! I’m not even paying attention to whether I might be annoying some people – you know, the dads, the Brads, the Chads – I’m just focused on Travis.

Travis was born in—are you ready for it?—1989. Screaming, crying, throwing up, etc.

It’s interesting that Killa Trav’s birthday is on October 5th – that’s also the birthday of Taylor Swift’s grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, who inspired Taylor’s song “Marjorie” on the album evermore. It almost feels like a meaningful coincidence!

She’s loved him three summers now, honey, and she’s going to get ’em all. 

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2026-01-07 18:19