Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in an attempt to win their third straight title, many wondered if it was the last time they would see 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce play in an NFL game. After all, he turned 35 years old early in the 2024 season and has many things going on outside of football at this point in his life.
But losing the Super Bowl, especially in the fashion that Kansas City did, lit a fire in Kelce. Not wanting to end his career that way, he committed to at least one more year early in the offseason, promising to be a better player.
Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce Thinks He Failed Last Season

Speaking to reporters during mandatory minicamp last week, Kelce said (via The Athletic), “Last year, I think I failed, especially in that last game, in being a leader and being the one that could step up and make plays. I’m just setting the bar even higher for myself this year than I had in the past.
“This year, I got some time to really focus on some form running and some things early on in the offseason that I just didn’t have time for last year. Certainly I’m feeling good, and I think it will pay off.”
Last season, Kelce had 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns. And while these numbers were productive enough to earn him his tenth consecutive Pro Bowl nod, they were the lowest of his career (aside from his rookie season, in which he played just one game).
Indeed, it appears that Kelce has spent this offseason a lot more differently than he did last year’s. In 2024, he was often spotted somewhere around the world as he followed girlfriend Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. This year, though, he (and Swift, for that matter) have stayed relatively out of the spotlight.
Reportedly, Kelce wanted to focus on training and getting into better shape for the 2025 NFL season, hoping that he can avoid another drop in production and help lead the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl.
It sounds like that is exactly what he has done.
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