Jason Kelce knows a thing or two about what his brother is going through: determining when to walk away from the game he’s known his entire life.
With the Kansas City Chiefs officially eliminated from playoff contention, the next piece of massive business in K.C. is determining Travis Kelce’s future. Will he return for a 14th season for his age-37 campaign? Will he ride off into the sunset with three Super Bowl rings and await his gold jacket in five years?
It was natural for ESPN to broach the topic with Jason Kelce, now an analyst for the network, ahead of Monday night’s game in Pittsburgh.
“In my opinion, to nail that decision, you gotta step away from the game for a little bit,” Kelce said when asked about his brother potentially retiring, via the Kansas City Star. “Play these last three games, enjoy ‘em with your teammates, enjoy ‘em with your coaches. The team is going to be different whether or not you come back next year. Then play these three games and then let it sink in. It’ll come to you with time.
“There are so many emotions with this game right after a season, especially with the way this one’s been. ... And right now, it’s just too fresh. You gotta step away from it, you gotta think about it, and then it’ll come to you.”
Jason Kelce retired after the Eagles’ 2023 season ended in a wild-card loss. The former Philly great seemed like he knew it was the end as he walked off the field after a loss to Tampa Bay.
Since Travis Kelce's streak of seven straight 1,000-yard campaigns was snapped in 2023, things have gone downhill. He generated 823 yards in 16 games last season. Sitting at 797 yards this year, he should surpass that figure in the final three games, but he’s on pace for 81 total catches, which would be his lowest figure since 2015.
The future Hall of Famer is slated to be a free agent in 2026, but if he plays, the expectation is it’d be in K.C.
Following last year’s blowout loss in Super Bowl LIX, the narrative in the offseason was that Kelce returned motivated and slimmed down. Even so, the veteran's struggles have been evident, with drops providing the season's most memorable highlights.
The big question is whether Kelce would be comfortable going out like this, not with a bang but a whimper: ending his final campaign not standing atop the dais following a fourth Lombardi hoisting, but out of the playoffs with his final pass coming from someone not named Patrick Mahomes.