KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If Thursday night’s game was Travis Kelce’s last game at Arrowhead Stadium, he certainly tried to make it a memorable one.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end had just five catches for 36 yards against the Denver Broncos playing alongside third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun while kicker Patrick Mahomes and backup Gardner Minshew were out with knee injuries. But many of those catches came in the final minutes, nearly swarming the Chiefs for what could have been a stunning upset of the Broncos.
Kelce & Co. ended up losing money. By a score of 20-13 in a game in which they were almost underdogs. But it was a bold display by Kelce in a career full of them.
The four-time All-Pro, who is expected to announce shortly after the season whether he will retire, could have hung up the cleats two weeks ago, when the reigning AFC champions were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in a decade.
After going to five Super Bowls — including the past three — and winning three championship rings, the 36-year-old Kelce showed he had plenty of pride to come away from a losing season. He played in a humiliating loss to the lowly Tennessee Titans last week and was one of the few bright spots on Christmas for an offense that finished with 139 rushing yards.
“There’s a lot of emotion,” Kelsey said afterward. “You have everyone in the world watching you. You get to get out there with the young people on prime time television. The young people get a chance to get a taste of what NFL life is like.”
As for retirement?
“I will leave that decision to be made with my family, friends and the Chiefs organization when the time comes,” Kelce said.
He was the last player introduced on Thursday night, after Oladokun exited the tunnel. As red lights flashed across the stadium, Kelce emerged from the fog with his trademark bow-and-arrow entrance gesture towards a celebratory crowd, and fans were expected to cheer happily – perhaps for the last time – as No. 87 took to the field.
“You only get a few of those [occasions] Where you can stand there and appreciate [60,000]”70,000 Chiefs fans cheering for you,” Kelce said. “I always embrace that moment.”
In a high-rise suite, his fiancée, pop star Taylor Swift, watched him perform. So did Mahomes and Mincio, who started the game together on one wing. Mahomes tore a knee ligament two weeks ago. Mincio did the same thing last week.
“You feel generations of happiness and love that [the fans] “It’s a beautiful thing, man,” Kelce said. “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 the Arrowheads.”
Kelce played 97 games on the gridiron over 13 years. He caught 645 passes at Arrowhead, including the playoffs, the third-most of any player in a single facility (behind Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald) since the AFL-NFL merger.
Now, the question is whether Kelce will play next week in the Chiefs’ season finale at the Las Vegas Raiders.
He needs just 10 yards to reach 13,000 for his career, and he could extend his franchise record — and longest active streak in the NFL — by catching a pass in his 191st game next weekend. He could also emerge victorious, rather than losing five straight games and seven of his past eight.
Or maybe Kelce will surprise everyone and come back for another campaign.
“We’ve been through a lot together,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said, explaining his apparent desire. “Just one more [season]. Just one more.”