Jason Burgos
Despite being in an obvious career decline as he heads into his age-37 season, future Hall of Famer and Kansas City Chiefs legend Travis Kelce will return for his 14th NFL season in 2026. The Athletic was first to break the news on Sunday night. However, they also report that the free agent tight end is not guaranteed to return to the only franchise he’s ever played for.
“It isn’t a sure thing that the team he plays for would be the Chiefs. Kelce’s representatives are expected to talk to multiple teams,” the outlet reports.
With the 11-time Pro Bowler set to return next season, let’s look at seven teams he could land with in NFL free agency this month.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have a Super Bowl-caliber defense. However, their offense has held them back the last couple of seasons. They have a good quarterback in CJ Stroud, but he needs more weapons. With $33 million in available cap space this offseason, according to Over the Cap, Kelce is a player who can make an impact while being in their price range. Don’t be surprised if Houston is a contender for the legendary tight end this month.
Seattle Seahawks
If Kelce is going to play in 2026, you can bet he will aim to join a team with a legitimate shot at winning a championship next season. Well, the Seattle Seahawks are sure to be in contention again after winning their latest Super Bowl title last month.
Furthermore, they have a nice chunk of cap space this offseason and an obvious need for more meaningful pass-game weapons to help take the load off star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers won 11 games and will somehow have over $90 million in cap space this offseason. In 2025, LA didn’t even have one receiver tally over 1,000 receiving yards. Kelce is unlikely to do that for them, but he will certainly draw attention and help a player like Ladd McConkey have an even better year in 2026.
The idea of Kelce playing for the Bolts and getting passes from Justin Herbert would be a stab in the back for Chiefs fans, but we have seen franchise legends play for the enemy before. The best example is Green Bay Packers icon Brett Favre suiting up for the hated Minnesota Vikings in his last two seasons.
Kansas City Chiefs
Speaking of the Chiefs, it is still very possible that Travis Kelce is back in Kansas City next season. They have cleared up a decent amount of cap space over the last couple of weeks and he would certainly take a discounted rate again to return for what would likely be his final season.
If this is a transition season for the Chiefs as Patrick Mahomes returns from a torn ACL, Kelce being on a retirement tour would certainly be a draw for what could be another down year for KC.
New York Giants
Kelce will be aiming to join a contender in 2026. However, playing in New York and for a franchise like the New York Giants always has an appeal for star players. Big Blue being awful the last three seasons should kill any interest the future Hall of Famer would have. However, there is a belief that the Giants could be much better in 2026 with new head coach John Harbaugh.
Young QB Jaxson Dart needs more reliable weapons, and Kelce would certainly help. Having his NFL swan song on the big stage of New York could hold some appeal for the tight end if he doesn’t like the other offers he gets.
Denver Broncos
The Chargers may not be the only Chiefs enemy that could be in play for Travis Kelce this offseason. If Bo Nix had suited up in the AFC Championship game, many NFL analysts believe the Denver Broncos would have beaten the New England Patriots. So they fit the criteria of a serious title contender heading into next season.
Furthermore, Evan Engram was a big disappointment for Denver last season. They could look to move him if they sign Kelce, or go with an intriguing and dangerous two-TE set in 2026.
Washington Commanders
A team with hopes for a deep playoff run and a boatload of salary cap space this offseason is the Washington Commanders. Plus, tight end is expected to be a position they look to upgrade in the coming weeks.
Fans saw how good Washington and star QB Jayden Daniels can be after reaching the NFC Championship two seasons ago. Kelce could be one of those key offseason additions that gets the Commanders back into playoff contention this offseason.
Retirement
It is very possible that Kelce heads into free agency and isn’t in love with the options or offers he gets. He has flirted with retirement the last few seasons, and doesn’t need to keep playing since he has a burgeoning acting career and his New Heights podcast is hugely popular. It would not be shocking if Kelce takes a look around the free agent market and decides retirement is a better choice.
