After the Kansas City Chiefs’ crushing 40-22 Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in February 2025, tight end Travis Kelce faced a tough choice about his NFL future. The 35-year-old, a cornerstone of the Chiefs’ dynasty with three Super Bowl rings, opened up on his New Heights podcast about his uncertainty. “It’s just a tough reality… I think I’m going to take some time to figure it out,” Kelce said, emphasizing that if he returned, it would be a “wholehearted decision” and not a half-hearted effort. He added, “I think I could play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility.”
Kelce’s decision wasn’t made in a vacuum—his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, played a key role in convincing him to keep playing. A source told Page Six that the couple, who’ve been dating for over a year, “definitely discussed [the decision] as a couple,” and Swift urged him to continue, wanting him to “go out on a high note.” A few weeks after the Super Bowl, Kelce announced he’d return for at least one more season, driven by a “bad taste” from the loss and a sense of responsibility to the Chiefs. “I feel like there’s a responsibility in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything that I got,” he said on New Heights, which he cohosts with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce.
Swift’s support was a major factor. Kelce shared on The Stephen A. Smith Show that she’s been “fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game,” noting how much she loves attending games at Arrowhead Stadium and cheering him on. The 14-time Grammy winner was “happy” with his choice to continue, per the Page Six insider, and plans to attend as many games as possible next season. For now, the couple is “laying low” in the offseason, spending time in Kansas City and traveling together. An insider told Us Weekly they recently went skiing in Park City with friends, arriving separately but staying out until 3 a.m., laughing and enjoying their time together. Notably, Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes weren’t part of the group, as they’ve been busy with their new baby and postseason activities.
Kelce and Swift are savoring their downtime, but they’ll soon be back in the spotlight. Swift is rumored to drop new music in the coming months, while Kelce will report to Chiefs training camp this summer, ready to chase another ring and erase the sting of that Super Bowl defeat. With Swift in his corner, Kelce’s got all the motivation he needs to keep pushing forward.
