There’s a chance this final season could be Kelce’s last three games as a head coach or in the NFL. Approaching the end of a two-year contract he signed in 2024, the 36-year-old told reporters on Nov. 21 that he plans to retire after the 2025 season, an effort to give Kansas City enough time to adjust before he hits free agency.
Kelce wasn’t suggesting whether those final three games would actually be the end of a stellar 13-season career, all played in Kansas City.
“I think I’d rather stay focused on this team right now,” Kelce said. “All the conversations I have with the team going forward will be with them. It’s a unique time in my life. I’ve got three games left. Unfortunately, I’ve got three games left and I know when the season ends. Just trying to make sure everybody here knows that I’m focused on trying to win games. [in] these last three games.”
The Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs in last Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, ending their streak of 10 straight playoff berths – the second-longest streak in NFL history. It also ended a streak of seven straight appearances in AFC Championship games, including three straight conference titles, which was also the second-longest streak in league history. The Chiefs won three Super Bowls and appeared in two more during this impressive season.
Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL in the final moments of last Sunday’s loss, turning Kansas City’s fortunes from a knife equation to a heartbeat.
“That’s my brother. I know everything he’s going through,” Kelce said of Mahomes. “It’s just disappointing and then, on top of that, it’s just a real stab in the back, knowing how the season ended [Mahomes] on our last hope to go for the last drive off [Sunday’s] game. It looked like we had a chance to take the win and keep ours [playoff] hopes alive. From there it just continued downhill.
“It’s sad, man, but it’s the reality. We’ve got three games left to try and enjoy it with the guys in this building. Besides, the Chiefs deserve us to go out there and play for them.”
There’s still some history left in these final three games of the season for Kelce, who leads the team with 67 receptions for 797 yards and five touchdowns (tied).
He needs just three more receiving yards to join Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history with at least 800 receiving yards in 12 consecutive seasons. Kelce is also 203 yards away from becoming the oldest TE in NFL history to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a single season.
Kelce sits third all-time among tight ends in receiving yards (12,948) and receptions (1,071) and sits fifth in TDs (85).
Quarterback Gardner Minshew will look to join Kelce in ending 2025 on a brighter note, which could very well be the send-off for one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.