Travis Kelce made the Kansas City Chiefs worry for a while, but it didn’t take him long to change his mind about retirement. Fortunately for him, Andy Reid will continue to count on the veteran star in the 2025 NFL season.
Kelce’s decision to come back for at least one more year makes things easier for Reid and the Chiefs, who didn’t hesitate to part ways with other tight ends on the roster ahead of training camp.
The NFL’s transactions report from Wednesday shows that Kansas City is letting go tight ends Anthony Firkser and Baylor Cupp. It’s been an eventful week of roster moves for Reid and the Chiefs, who also cut linebacker Shaun Bradley, offensive guard McKade Mettauer, and safety Jason Taylor II.
Firkser and Cupp’s time with the Chiefs
Both Firkser and Cupp gave the team depth at the position, but with Kelce coming back and Reid finding Travis’ potential successor in an undrafted free agent, the front office preferred to clear those spots to make room for future signings.
Firkser, 30, joined the Chiefs in November to fill in the vacancy left by the injured Jared Wiley. The eight-year NFL veteran made three appearances in Kansas City, playing both on offense (24 snaps) and on special teams (27).
Cupp, on the other hand, barely saw the field last season. An undrafted free agent signing in May 2024, the Texas Tech product spent most of the year with the Chiefs‘ practice squad. His lone appearance came during the Chiefs’ Week 14 win over division rivals Los Angeles Chargers, without recording any stat.
Kelce’s decision to postpone retirement from the NFL
Kelce may not be getting any younger, but he refuses to throw in the towel yet. Even though he thought about hanging up his cleats this offseason, the Chiefs’ blowout loss in Super Bowl LIX pushed him to fight for a better farewell.
“It was probably the biggest factor,” he said on his New Heights podcast of the defeat to the Eagles in February. “I mean, it’s a pretty cool way to go out, but I just think I would still have this love for the game. … I think I would have thought about it more if we would’ve won.”
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The star tight end also wanted to respect the two-year contract extension he signed in April 2024. Kelce will turn 36 in October, and since he’ll be playing on an expiring deal, retirement will probably remain a topic throughout 2025. But there’s time for that. For now, Kelce is part of Reid and the Chiefs’ short-term plans.