NFL News: Brett Veach breaks silence on Travis Kelce retirement rumors with clear message for Chiefs TE

The future of Travis Kelce looks up in the air after a frustrating ending to the 2024 NFL season for the Kansas City Chiefs, who fell just one win short from a historic three-peat. General manager Brett Veach, however, looks optimistic.

The Chiefs’ executive addressed the media at the NFL Combine on Tuesday, and the rumors about the tight end inevitably came up during the press conference. Shortly after Reid revealed his advice for Kelce about retirement, Veach opted to deliver a bolder response.

Instead of increasing the uncertainty about the player’s continuity, the Chiefs GM suggested that the team expects Kelce to come back for the 2025 NFL season. After all, the player still has a year left on his contract.

“How we left at the end of the season is that he was fired up. He has one more year under contract,” Veach said, as quoted by Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. “Still think he has that fire and desire to play.”

Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during a practice ahead of Super Bowl LIX at Tulane University’s Yulman Stadium on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Veach denies Chiefs set timeline for Kelce

During his media availability, Veach also set the record straight on a rumor that made headlines in recent weeks. According to the GM, there is no deadline for Kelce to make a decision about his future in the NFL.

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“As far as I’m concerned, there is no deadline,” Veach explained. “We left it as he’d be back, and we’re excited to get him back. And get him going. Hopefully he has a magical season to end his magical career.”

Kelce left door open on NFL retirement

At 35 and after 12 years in the NFL, Kelce revealed after Super Bowl LIX that he’d need to think about his future before deciding whether to suit up for the Chiefs for another season.

Here’s what the tight end said during an episode of the “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason: “I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year. Right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road. I’m kicking every can that I can down the road. I’m not making any crazy decisions.”

Jason Kelce believes Travis has already made a decision

Even though that was the last thing Travis said about his future so far, his brother believes that the Chiefs star has already made up his mind. Jason, however, couldn’t tell whether that’s to retire or to continue playing.

“I think Travis — I think he probably, in his heart, already knows what he wants to do,” Jason Kelce said on ‘The Steam Room’ podcast. “We’re very similar people, but we also have different ways of thinking about things. Sometimes I can overanalyze situations, and any big decision I’m having in my life I’ll think about the negatives and what about this or that. My brother has this way of being like, ‘Hey man, you want to play or you don’t want to play.'”