Free agent tight end Travis Kelce will return to the NFL for a 14th season. Rather than entering retirement or testing his market in free agency, Kelce is set to rejoin the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year contract, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
The deal is worth $12 million and has a maximum value of $15 million, according to ESPN. Kelce’s last contract paid an average of $17.1 million per year.
Had he elected not to re-sign with the Chiefs, this would have been the first time in Kelce’s legendary career that he reached unrestricted free agency. He inked a pair of long-term extensions during his stint in Kansas City but just reached the end of a four-year deal and could sign with any team that wants him. There will be no sweepstakes for the famed tight end, though, as he finalizes a deal to team up once again with his longtime quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
Even at 36, Kelce is a premier tight end and checks in as the No. 79 free agent in Pete Prisco’s rankings. Teams in win-now mode projected to be interested in pursuing his talents on as short as a one-year deal, but the Chiefs always figured to be in play given what they and Kelce mean to each other and that he could help them return to the postseason after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
Kelce has been in talks over the last month with the Chiefs about a potential return. Coach Andy Reid confirmed in February that the team and Kelce had communication but did not go so far as to say whether he expected the sides to come to terms on a deal for 2026. Owner Clark Hunt in January expressed interest in bringing the future Hall of Famer back, though.
“As an organization, we certainly hope that he will come back,” Hunt said on “Good Morning Football.” “He had another great year, maybe not on par with where he was four or five years ago, but still had over 800 yards, and was really one of the leaders on the offensive side of the ball for us. So there’s no doubt in my mind that he can still play.”
The goal for Kelce has been to avoid dragging his decision out for too long. He said in November that he wanted to do right by the Chiefs and end the process on a hasty timeline, whether or not he plays with them moving forward. That mission is now accomplished.
“I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not — or whether they want me back or not,” Kelce said, via ESPN. “I’d like to make that decision before they’ve got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately.”
Kelce — a three-time Super Bowl champion, seven-time All-Pro honoree and 11-time Pro Bowler — is on a clear downturn from a production standpoint but remained a key element of the Chiefs’ high-powered offense in 2025. His 76 catches were his fewest since 2015 and his 851 receiving yards were his second-fewest since 2013.
