The growing question surrounding Kansas City Chiefs veteran tight end Travis Kelce continues to be whether he will retire after 13 NFL seasons.
All signs so far, however, point toward a return. As an unrestricted free agent this offseason, a new contract could keep him in Kansas City for the 2026 season.
While Kelce hasn’t offered a firm update on his future, he spoke about the Chiefs organization during Wednesday’s episode of his “New Heights” podcast with his older brother Jason.
The three-time Super Bowl champion addressed the Chiefs’ decision to leave Arrowhead Stadium and Missouri as a whole by the conclusion of the 2030 season to build a new stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas, expected to open in 2031.
While there’s little chance Kelce will still be playing by then, he called the decision exciting yet “heartbreaking,” reflecting on leaving Arrowhead Stadium, where he has spent his entire playing career.
“I think it’s going to be unbelievable once it’s finally set in stone,” Kelce said. “But it is going to be kind of heartbreaking knowing that the Chiefs are going to move away from Arrowhead.”
There isn’t a stadium quite like Arrowhead, widely regarded as one of the loudest in the NFL. While Kelce has spent 13 seasons with the Chiefs, the stadium has been a cornerstone of Kansas City for more than 53 years.
Over the last decade, Arrowhead has hosted numerous AFC playoff games and AFC Championship matchups in which Kelce has participated during the Chiefs’ run to five Super Bowls — three of which they won.
The new stadium is expected to cost $3 billion and will be built across the Kansas-Missouri state line. Being a domed facility, it will offer increased flexibility for the types of events it can host.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt addressed the decision when it was made public in December.
“We made a decision as a family that this was the right opportunity and the best for the organization for several reasons,” Hunt said. “It’s about the fans. My dad [Lamar Hunt, who founded the franchise] was always about the fans and thinking about the future.
“This will give Chiefs Kingdom a state-of-the-art facility for multiple generations, a building that can last for at least 50 or 60 years. We believe it’s the best thing for the region. It will give Kansas City the opportunity to bid on events that we can’t host right now, like the Super Bowl, the College Football Playoff, and the NCAA Final Fours.”
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