With his 12th season in the NFL officially kicking off on Thursday, Travis Kelce reflects on when his retirement from the game will be.
During his recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Travis Kelce admitted he hasn’t thought about NFL retirement yet.
“It didn’t cross my mind one bit,” Kelce explained. “I think the excitement of the challenge of this year, being able to maybe do it a third time in a row… I think that alone was all I needed.
“That was an instant thought,” the NFL star shared. “So there was really not a chance in hell that I wasn’t coming back this year.”
Travis Kelce then said he was following the retirement advice from former NFL player Julian Edelman. “He was mentioning, you know, he had to hang it up when he couldn’t go out there and practice. He couldn’t get out there and work on his craft to feel like he’s accountable for the guys next to him, and that’s when he kind of started questioning it.”
Kelce pointed out that after more than a decade in the NFL, he’s still having fun.
“[I’m] just so appreciative and so fortunate that I’ve been able to come into year 12,” he said. “And still have this energy and this love and the ability to go out there and get to work.”
Travis Kelce Previously Stated He Thought About NFL Retirement Often
Travis Kelce previously stated that he’s thought about being done with the NFL “more than anyone could ever imagine.”
While speaking to WSJ Magazine for its December 2023/January 2024 issue, Kelce said the injuries he’s sustained while playing are key factors in his retirement thoughts.
“That’s the only thing I’ve never really been open about … the discomfort,” he said. “The pain. The lingering injuries — the 10 surgeries I’ve had.”
He then said he still felt “every single surgery to this day.”
Kansas City tight end coach Tom Melvin also spoke about the NFL player’s injuries. “He has phenomenal pain tolerance. He’s played through things that other athletes I’ve coached through the years have not been able to push through.”
The coach then said Kelce is “mentally tough — way off the charts.”
Despite his recent discussion about retiring, Travis Kelce seems to be in the mindset of not stopping for a while.
Talks about Travis retiring comes just six months after his brother Jason announced his retirement after 13 seasons.