When tight end Travis Kelce walked off the field at Allegiant Stadium on Jan. 4, many wondered if the future Hall of Famer’s legendary career had come to an end. While a decision has not been made official, the latest reports suggest there are strong leanings toward him returning for another season.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, many people close to Kelce believe that he’ll return to play for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026. A 14th season could reportedly be in the works, with one of the best tight ends in NFL history viewed as increasingly likely to return.
Related: Kansas City Cheifs Expected to Move on From Key Starter
In his age-36 season, Kelce outproduced his numbers from 2024. Despite drawing 25 fewer targets year-over-year with 21 fewer receptions, Kelce had more receiving yards and touchdowns with a significantly higher yards-per-reception average (11.2) than he did the previous year.
If Kelce returns to the NFL in 2026, he will have a shot at ascending even higher on the all-time leaderboard in several key categories. He is just 45 yards away from passing Jason Witten (13,046) in career receiving yards; another season with 800-plus yards would move him ahead of Julio Jones (13,703) and right behind Cris Carter (13,899). In 2026, he could also pass Calvin Johnson (83), Hines Ward (85), and Andre Reed (87) in career receiving touchdowns.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs Offseason Moves to Create Cap Space
For Kansas City, Kelce’s return would require re-signing him. The question is, given his declining production, how much he would want to make, as he will be 37 years old in October. It would be easier if he took a team-friendly deal, allowing the front office to spend more on improving the rushing attack.
Even if he is brought back, the Chiefs may want to use premium draft capital to find Kelce’s successor. While it is unlikely they would use their first-round pick on Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq, there will be some good options available on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
