Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is taking a deliberate approach to his professional future, leaving the door open for both a return to the NFL and a possibly a potential career in television.
On the latest edition of his New Heights podcast, co-hosted with his brother Jason Kelce, Travis described his current mindset and timeline he’s approaching to a decision. “Just being a regular human for a couple weeks, maybe a month or so, and try to figure out what I’m going to do next in terms of my future at football,” he said.
Kelce emphasized that his discussions with the Chiefs have been candid about a potential return to the playing field as well. Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has hauled in 1,080 passes for 13,002 yards and 82 touchdowns over the course of his career with the Chiefs.
“I’ve talked to a few people in the facility already. Having the exit meetings and everything, and they know where I stand, at least right now. And I think there’s a lot of love for the game that’s still there, and I don’t think I’ll ever lose that,” he said.
Kelce’s comments come amid speculation about a possible move into broadcasting. Reporting from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand suggests Kelce could become a top candidate for high-profile television roles, potentially commanding an eight-figure salary. Marchand said Kelce would likely pursue a “No. 1 job” in the booth, emphasizing his marketability and appeal to networks.
The tight end already has experience in media, co-hosting New Heights, making television and film cameos, and hosting the Prime Video reboot of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader? However, deciding whether to return to the NFL remains the focus in which Kelce admitted, is a challenging process.
“It’s a tough thing to navigate. But at the same time, you know, I think if my body can heal up and rest up and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat. So I think right now, it’s just finding that answer and seeing how the body feels after this game, and kind of when it all settles down,” said Kelce.
Kelce’s combination of on-field success, media savvy, and fan popularity makes him a rare prospect capable of commanding both respect and top-tier compensation in broadcasting. Despite the allure of TV, Kelce indicated that football remains a priority while he evaluates his options.
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