Even with his team eliminated from playoff contention and Patrick Mahomes out with an injury, Thursday night’s game was crucial for Travis Kelce.
It may have been the last time he played in front of his home crowd at Arrowhead Stadium.
The undermanned Kansas City Chiefs held their ground against the division-leading Denver Broncos, but Sean Payton’s team still managed to spoil Kelce’s potential farewell party with a 20-13 victory.
Even so, when asked about what the future holds for him, Kelce said he will make a decision in due time.
Travis Kelce gets emotional when talking about Chiefs fans
“Honestly, I’ve been just focused on trying to win football games, man,” Kelce said, per KSHB 41’s McKenzie Nelson. “I’ll let that be a decision that I make with my family, friends, the Chiefs organization, when the time comes.”
It’s been a wild season for Andy Reid’s team, and closing it out with the news of the team moving from Missouri to Kansas in 2031 was another big blow to the fans.
For Kelce, who’s not going to play in 2031 regardless of whether he comes back next season or not, playing in Arrowhead will be the most cherished memory of his football journey.
“You only get a few of those [moments] where you get to stand there and appreciate 70,000 Chiefs fans cheering for you. I always embrace that moment,” Kelce admitted. “You feel the generations of happiness and the love that [the fans] have. It’s a beautiful thing, man. It’s something I know I’ll cherish forever, whether it’s coming out of the tunnel or just making a big play for them. That’s why we love Arrowhead.”
Kelce has shown that he can still play at a high level, even if he’s been on the wrong end of some unfortunate plays this season. But if this is the end of the line for him, he doesn’t have anything else to prove at this point in his career.