Signs point to a decision coming this week on Travis Kelce’s future with Chiefs
In the next week or so, we should know whether we can continue to refer to Travis Kelce as a Chiefs tight end. Or if he’ll be a former Chiefs tight end.
Kelce hasn’t announced if he plans to return for a 14th season or ride off into the sunset with his fiancée, superstar singer Taylor Swift. But we should get an answer soon.
The NFL on Friday announced the salary cap for the 2026 season would be $301.2 million, an increase of $22 million from a year ago.
The Chiefs were roughly $5.6 million in the red, according to Over The Cap, before the Jawaan Taylor news on Monday.
Kelce, whose contract expired at the end of last season, would need to agree to a new deal to return to the Chiefs. And the team now knows exactly how much money it can spend moving forward, should Kelce come back.
That’s one factor in why we soon should know Kelce’s plans.
The other is the start of NFL free agency.
NFL teams will begin negotiating with pending free agents on March 9 at 11 a.m. On March 11 at 3 p.m., teams can begin signing free agents. The Chiefs undoubtedly would like to know Kelce’s plans before the free agency mania begins.
Another sign: The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport talked about Kelce and the Chiefs, and it again sounds like a decision is nigh.
“Only going to play for the Kansas City Chiefs, but they want to make sure when there is a decision, he is a thousand percent all in,” Rapoport said from the Combine. “This week we should have some answers from Kansas City. What we know is they for sure, for sure want him back, especially considering how he played last year.”
Kelce, 36, had 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns last season.
This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 9:01 AM.
