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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was apparently playing through an illness during Super Bowl LIX, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach revealed at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday (February 25).
“We’re never going to make excuses and talk about it, but he was battling with a pretty big illness there before the Super Bowl,” Veach said via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. “But listen, the way the Eagles played, it wouldn’t have made a difference.”
Kelce, 35, had zero catches in the first half and finished with four receptions for 39 yards during the Chiefs' blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Veach also told reporters that the tight end was "fired up" following the Super Bowl loss and optimistic that he'd return for his 13th season.
“How we left it at the end of the season is that he was fired up,” Veach said via the New York Post. “He has one more year under contract. Still think he has that fire and desire to play. As far as I’m concerned, there is no deadline (for a decision). I think we left it as he’d be back. And we’re excited to get him back and get him going.”
The Chiefs have reportedly given Kelce a deadline of March 14 for his retirement decision, a team source told the Athletic on February 13. The three-time Super Bowl champion signed a two-year, $34.25 million deal with the Chiefs last offseason, which includes an $11.5 million roster bonus due on March 15, according to Over The Cap, while the NFL's free agency period will start on March 10.
Kelce addressed the "wear and tear" on his body while discussing his potential retirement decision during the latest episode of his New Heights podcast with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, released on February 12, days after the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX blowout loss to the Eagles.
“I know everybody wants to know whether I am playing next year and right now I am just kicking everything down the road. I am kicking every can I can down the road,” Kelce said. “I am not making any crazy decisions but right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches understanding there’s a lot that goes into this thing. I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody.
“The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body.
“It’s a lot of time in the building … That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy. Right now, it was one of those things where it was driving me crazy this year. It happens as you tail off towards the back nine of your career.
Kelce responded "hopefully still playing football" when asked where he plans to be in three years during Super Bowl Opening Night festivities.
“Hopefully still playing football,” Kelce said via the Associated Press. “I love doing this, I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens. I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”
Kelce recently surpassed the 1,000 career receptions plateau and became the Chiefs' all-time leader in touchdown receptions, but has seen his numbers decline, recording 823 yards and three touchdowns, his lowest single-season totals in both categories since becoming a starter in 2014.