Chiefs star Travis Kelce indicates he's returning to NFL for 13th season
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce appears to be headed back to the NFL for a 13th season.
New Heights, the podcast hosted by Kelce and his brother Jason, shared a video on Instagram Thursday with the caption, "From the desk of @killatrav: IT’S TIME FOR YEAR 13."
The video featured a social media post from ESPN noting Pat McAfee, who hosts a show on the network, had also seemingly confirmed Kelce's return.
Pat McAfee shared the development Thursday on his eponymous ESPN show and on social media.
"I reached out to source(s) on the future of [Travis Kelce] ... source(s) said 'I'm coming back for sure,'" McAfee wrote in a post on X while reporting live from the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
In a video clip included with the post, McAfee quotes the source in question, noting they punctuated the news with three exclamation points.
"I'm gonna try and get to the best shape I've been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop," McAfee says, quoting the unnamed source. "Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can't go out like that."
The news comes 16 days after the Chiefs were dominated by the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22 at Super Bowl LIX. They were denied a historic three-peat after attempting to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles.
Leading up to his fifth Super Bowl, Kelce repeatedly said he planned to play in 2025, but when he struck a different tone talking with his brother and podcast co-host Jason Kelce earlier this month, fans and football experts alike questioned his future.
Kelce addressed retirement rumors and what his professional future might hold following the Super Bowl LIX loss on the "New Heights" podcast, saying, "I know everybody wants to know whether I'm playing next year, and right now, I'm just kicking everything down the road -- I'm not making any crazy decisions."
"I think I owe it to my teammates that, if I do come back, it's going to be something that it's a whole-hearted decision. Not half-assing it," he said. "I'm fully here for them, and I think I could play. It's just whether or not I'm motivated or it's the best decision for me as a man, as a human and as a person to take on all of that responsibility."
The Chiefs have not commented publicly on Kelce's status for next season.
Travis Kelce NFL career highlights
Although Kelce was largely a nonfactor for his team against the Eagles in New Orleans, he set the NFL record for most catches in Super Bowl history.
With four receptions on the night for 39 yards against the Eagles, Kelce notched a total 35 receptions in his five combined Super Bowl appearances, edging out NFL great Jerry Rice, who had 33.
While he was far and away the Chiefs' pass receptions leader with 97 in this past regular season, he had career lows in both yards (823) and touchdowns (three), per ESPN.
Kelce was the 63rd overall pick selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft and went on to become a four-time All-Pro with three Super Bowl wins: LIV, LVII, LVIII.
ABC News' Katie Kindelan contributed to this report.
