- NFL. Travis Kelce expected to take firm step toward retirement with surprise move amid Chiefs' Super Bowl pursuit
- NFL. Chiefs have built a dynasty with Patrick Mahomes at the helm but the scariest part is that their dominance is just beginning
With just over a week to go until Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, betting on the game-always a big topic, but now with much more publicity-is dominating conversations in the days leading up to the matchup. The Chiefs are the first of nine back-to-back champions in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl, and now they'll be playing for the first three-peat ever, their fifth Super Bowl in the last six years, an unprecedented feat. Meanwhile, the Eagles will be making their fourth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, looking to avenge a narrow 38-35 loss two years ago in Super Bowl 57. Now with Saquon Barkley on the Eagles, we'll see how the game dynamic changes, but with the Chiefs, we can expect Travis Kelce to have at least 10 targets after his poor performance in the AFC Championship Game.
Travis and Taylor Could Steal the Spotlight
If the Chiefs pull off the three-peat, questions about Travis Kelce's future with the team will only grow, as at age 35, Kelce is coming off his worst season in yards and touchdowns since his rookie year, and he was a non-factor in the AFC Championship Game. Many, myself included, suggest that if he wins, retiring at the top as a three-time champion and holder of nearly every playoff receiving record - despite being a tight end - would be a great option. Another idea gaining traction comes from a bet available on FanDuel: If the Chiefs win, Travis could propose to Taylor Swift right after the game. It would be a cinematic moment that could make this the most talked about Super Bowl in history, eclipsing both the winning team and Kendrick Lamar's halftime show.
If you bet $20 on this to happen, the payout would be $170 - why not give it a shot? I'm not sure if Travis will actually do it, but if there's an incredible, never-before-seen play in the game, it would pale in comparison to this bet. Even if Kendrick Lamar brought Drake on stage despite their beef, it wouldn't be as big a deal as this. The bet that it won't happen has a payout of just $21.33 - a mere $1.33 profit. No thanks, I'll take the yes. This is just one of the many crazy bets available today. Imagine if people could bet this easily back in the days of Joe Montana or Dan Marino - it's incredible how far we've come.
Travis Super Bowl Mode On
Coming into the AFC Championship Game, Kelce held the NFL record with 14 straight playoff games with at least 70 receiving yards, but the Bills completely shut him down, limiting him to just two catches for 19 yards. That's likely in the past now, as I'm sure Andy Reid is already working on ways to maximize Kelce against an Eagles defense that allowed Zach Ertz to record 11 catches for 104 yards in the NFC Championship Game.
If this game plays out like it did two years ago, we can expect plenty of points and big offensive plays. In that matchup, Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdowns, including one to Travis Kelce, who finished with six catches for 81 yards. Jalen Hurts had four total touchdowns (three rushing), while his receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for 13 catches and 196 yards.