In case you have been living under a rock, tight end Travis Kelce will be returning to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026 for a 14th NFL season.
Kelce signed a three-year, $57.7 million contract extension in March, however it is actually structured more as a one-year deal, as it will be renegotiated if he decides to return again in 2027.
The Chiefs now don’t have to worry about adding a starting tight end to their list of roster needs, although they could look to acquire a developmental one to learn under Kelce. Although he is a bit past his prime, Kelce is still better than most. His value to the Chiefs also goes well beyond producing on the field.
Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach Describes Travis Kelce’s Value off the Field
Veach had a lengthy conversation with NFL insider Peter Schrager on Tuesday. Kelce’s return was among the topics they discussed, as Veach explained what Kelce means to the organization beyond just putting up statistics and wins.
“He puts a smile on someone’s face every single day,” Veach said of Kelce. “It doesn’t matter if you win a game by three touchdowns, or if you lose a game. You have to come back in and learn from the mistakes. Everything he does, he does with a smile. It’s easy to lose sight of that and get into this head space where it’s always negative all the time. He just keeps a positive spin and uplifting spin on everything he does. That’s one of the [reasons] I’m glad he’s not retiring. When he does, that’s going to be almost impossible to replace.”
Kelce has come a long way from when he entered the league as a rookie with a chip on his shoulder in 2013. His maturing has not only helped him become one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, but play a huge role in the Chiefs becoming a dynasty with three Super Bowl wins.
Brett Veach Explains How Travis Kelce’s Tenure With Chiefs Has Come Full Circle
GettyChiefs TE Travis Kelce and RB Kareem Hunt
Veach went on to talk about how much Kelce has evolved from when he first met him as a young player.
“Travis Kelce was a character concern coming out,” Veach said about when he was scouting Kelce. “But the culture and the support you have in the building does make a difference. If you put guys that are young and have maybe made some dumb decisions, if you put them in an adult environment with a good culture, you can get the best out of them. Now it’s gone full circle with Travis where he’s teaching us more than we’ve ever taught him. Here you have a guy who starts out as a character concern, you bring him into the organization, and he has a first-ballot Hall of Fame career. He’s now teaching us on how to handle adversity and how to be uplifting. I think that’s the coolest thing.”
Guys like Veach, coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and others can be attributed with keeping Kelce on the right track. Over the last several years, Kelce has become a leader who is helping young players that need direction. The Chiefs will be leaning heavily on him again in 2026 as they look to reestablish themselves as a dominant team.
