Sunday’s Super Bowl may have marked the end of an era for Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs.
If the star tight end decides to hang up his cleats, his potential farewell performance was far from memorable.
Kelce struggled to create separation against the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense, finishing with just four receptions for 39 yards in the Chiefs’ lopsided 40-22 defeat.
After the game, Kelce didn’t shy away from admitting how thoroughly the team was outplayed.
“You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said. “We haven’t played that bad all year. Just couldn’t find that spark, couldn’t find that momentum.”
In the days following the loss, social media erupted with criticism of Kelce’s performance.
Video breakdowns circulated, highlighting plays where his effort appeared lackluster to say the least. Some fans went as far as to suggest that the future Hall of Famer flat-out quit on his teammates.
“Stop blaming Joe Thuney. THIS was the effort Kelce was giving all night… Trent Williams wouldn’t have made a difference at LT. Love Kelce but this [expletive] right here is hard to watch. If you can’t get fired up for a 3peat no better than this, it may be time,” All Chief’d Up! posted on X.
Many fans echoed that sentiment, questioning whether Kelce’s heart was still in the game.
“I know I posted about hoping Trav didn’t retire and came back for one more year, but after seeing this I don’t know man, he looks tired, and just like he doesn’t wanna be there,” one fan said.
“Travis Kelce is a quitter. It’s the Super Bowl, and he just straight-up quit,” another fan bluntly said.
Before the Super Bowl, Kelce gave every indication that he intended to keep playing.
“I’ve thought about it, but I still love what I do,” he said. “It’s moments like these, weeks like these, the month that we just had in the playoffs that make me feel like I could play this game forever.
“I think I still got a lot of football left in me. I think this year has been one of the most special years of my life. I think it’s gonna continue to make me want to do more in the football world.”
Whether he still feels that way after Sunday’s humiliating blowout remains uncertain. Kelce is under contract for the 2025 season, but retirement speculation continues to swirl.
Needless to say, the Super Bowl was an emotional rollercoaster for Jason Kelce, who had to watch his younger brother’s team get dismantled by the franchise he spent his entire 13-year career with.
On today’s episode of the New Heights podcast, Jason admitted the situation only got “progressively weirder” as the Eagles pulled away.
“We are still very much attached to this organization (the Eagles), which is why there’s a part of me that’s very happy and proud that they won this game,” Jason said. “That does not take precedence over rooting for you.
“That’s why this game sucked. It was very, very hard to watch. As much as I love the Eagles, as much as I love the city of Philadelphia, there was not a f*cking ounce of me…
“I tried to correlate that I was rooting for both sides the whole time and I was gonna be happy and sad regardless. No matter who won, it was gonna be happy and sad regardless.”
Jason admitted he had tried to convince himself he was “rooting for both sides” but ultimately felt torn no matter the outcome.
Travis, still reeling from the loss, reassured his brother that he owed no explanation to Eagles fans who might question his loyalties.
“F*ck ’em. You don’t owe any of these d*ckheads the acknowledgement. You really don’t, Jason,” Travis said. “Anyone that knows you knows your intentions.”
Travis himself struggled to hold back emotions as he reflected on the Chiefs’ shocking defeat. “It’s a tough pill to swallow… It’s a hard reality, man,” he said.
As for his future, Kelce admitted he’s not ready to make a final decision just yet. He made it clear that he plans to “kick every can down the road” in regards to retirement.
Let’s be honest here. Kelce is an all-time great and may very well be the second best tight end in NFL history. Having said that, what the hell happened to him on Sunday??
I mean, with a shot at a historic three-peat, THAT’s the effort you put out on the field?? (Especially after wearing that ridiculous outfit to the stadium.)
What do you make of all the Kelce criticism?? … Do you think it’s time for him to retire???
