Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Wanted back in Kansas City

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The Chiefs have remained in touch with Kelce during the offseason and are hopeful to re-sign him for the 2026 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

For the second offseason in a row, the 36-year-old tight end is taking some time to ponder his playing future before he comes to a decision on whether to continue his career or head into retirement. If the impending free agent elects to keep playing in 2026, Kelce's preference would almost certainly be to return to Kansas City for a 13th season, and the Chiefs are seemingly willing to keep a roster spot open for him. Though the Chiefs finished a disappointing 6-11 in 2025 and played without star quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) for their final three contests, Kelce still enjoyed a bounce-back season in terms of efficiency. He played the full 17-game slate and recorded 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns on 108 targets, with his 7.9 yards per target representing a big uptick from his 2024 mark of 6.2.