Travis Kelce will have to face ‘diminished player’ reality before retirement decision: Ryan Clark

Travis Kelce will have to face ‘diminished player’ reality before retirement decision: Ryan Clark

Since the Super Bowl 2025 ended in defeat for the Chiefs on Sunday in New Orleans, a lot of the scuttleʙuтт has been around Travis Kelce’s future in the NFL. 

Kelce, 35, has been somewhat vague about where his head is at regarding retirement and did not address the topic when he briefly spoke with reporters after the 40-22 loss to the Eagles on Sunday night. 

ESPN analyst and former NFLer Ryan Clark weighed in on the topic on Monday’s “NFL Live” comparing the situation to the crossroads that his older brother Jason found himself in last year before retiring in March. 

Kansas City Chiefs тιԍнт end Travis Kelce (87) walks off the field at the halftime break during the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Philadelphia Eagles AP

“Isn’t Trav sort of in the same place our colleague and friend, his brother, Jason Kelce, was in last year?” Clark asked. “Still feeling like you can still do it and you still have it, but you know you don’t have it like you used to. And it’s gonna be based on whether or not Travis Kelce understands he’s a diminished player and is comfortable with that.

“When you’re at the highest of highs, when you’re the best pᴀss-catching тιԍнт end in the history of the National Football League, it’s hard to go into a game last night, have two drops, not have any impactful catches or impact on the game. Can Travis Kelce go forward in 2025 and be that person? Especially when so many lucrative opportunities await him in his second career.”

Kelce had four catches on six targets on Sunday night for just 39 yards. 

Despite the relatively low impact Kelce had on the game, he still managed to set the record for most career Super Bowl receptions, surpᴀssing Jerry Rice with 35.

The 10-time Pro Bowler has the most playoff receptions of any Chiefs player or player in the NFL for that matter. 

“Travis Kelce is going to have to take some time, sit down and know what sort of player he wants to be and what sort of life he wants to live, but he’s earned the right to take his time in doing so,” Clark added. 

Ryan Clark ESPN
Chiefs тιԍнт end Travis Kelce (87) reacts on the field after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 2025 at Ceasars Superdome. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The comment was similar to one made by Patrick Mahomes after the Super Bowl when he noted that Kelce “has a lot of football left in him” and that “he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”

Kelce, who has a hit podcast with brother Jason and is dating music superstar Taylor Swift, has spent his entire 12-year career with the Chiefs after they selected him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. 

Over that time he’s amᴀssed 1,004 receptions for 12,151 yards and 77 touchdowns.

Related Posts

NFL rocked by Super Bowl scandal with around 100 players facing possible suspension

NFL rocked by Super Bowl scandal with around 100 players facing possible suspension

At least 100 NFL players, as well as coaches and staff from around half of the 32 teams, have been accused of violating league rules by selling…

Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart to sign .9M deal and end contract standoff over ‘unfair’ clause

Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart to sign $18.9M deal and end contract standoff over ‘unfair’ clause

The Bengals’ standoff with Shemar Stewart is over after the rookie agreed to a four-year, $18.97million contract with Cincinnati. Stewart was selected with the 17th overall pick…

The real reason why Travis Kelce went Instagram official with Taylor Swift after Chiefs star’s smitten pH๏τo dump

The real reason why Travis Kelce went Instagram official with Taylor Swift after Chiefs star’s smitten pH๏τo dump

Travis Kelce finally posted Taylor Swift on social media this week to show how serious their relationship has become, an insider has claimed. The Kansas City Chiefs…

Travis Kelce posts unseen pH๏τos from behind the scenes of Happy Gilmore 2 after ‘surreal’ Netflix cameo

Travis Kelce posts unseen pH๏τos from behind the scenes of Happy Gilmore 2 after ‘surreal’ Netflix cameo

Travis Kelce has given fans a glimpse behind the camera of Happy Gilmore 2, with the NFL legend posting several pictures from the set of the Netflix…

NFL star Joshua Hines-Allen reveals his seven-year-old son has been battling cancer

NFL star Joshua Hines-Allen reveals his seven-year-old son has been battling cancer

Jacksonville Jaguars star Joshua Hines-Allen has revealed his seven-year-old son Wesley is nearly cancer free after battling leukemia for the past seven months. Hines-Allen, who did not…

New York Giants guard with iconic SNF intro adored by fans retires from football at 35

New York Giants guard with iconic SNF intro adored by fans retires from football at 35

Former New York Giants first round pick Justin Pugh has announced his retirement from the NFL. The offensive guard and Pennsylvania native, who turns 35 in mid-August,…