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Kansas City Chiefs fans don't want to it it, but the team is set to stare several major changes in the eye this offseason. The front office has to pick and choose which impending free agents to bring back, while also getting more help, particularly on the offensive line. But the biggest domino yet to fall is Travis Kelce.
The legendary tight end has been non-committal on his future. At 35 years old, Kelce isn't extremely old in football for a tight end, but it must be noted that he has essentially played an extra season-and-a-half due to the Chiefs always going on deep playoff runs. Gearing his body up for another grind of a long season appears to be weighing on him. It also doesn't help that the Chiefs just got blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, and Kelce didn't play well.
Rob Gronkowski says Travis Kelce can play for at least 2 more years
But Kelce's performance throughout last season shouldn't play a role in his decision, at least according to one of the greatest tight ends of all-time, Rob Gronkowski. The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers player doesn't think Kelce should hang up his cleats just yet.
I believe he can go at least another two years. The guy had 85-plus catches this year. We're talking that his stats are down, are you kidding me? How are your stats down if you had 80-plus catches at 35 years old... If you watch him run routes, he is very crisp and very smooth with them as well.
Gronkowski can relate a little bit to Kelce, as he struggled with the decision to retire later in his career, although Gronk was much younger when he did so. He retired first at 29 years old due to physical and mental issues from a build-up of injuries. He ultimately came back to play with Tom Brady in Tampa a year later, for two seasons, before calling it quits for good before his age 33 season.
Kelce hasn't struggled with injuries like Gronk did, though. But Kelce has more years and more overall snaps on his body that have taken a toll. It's up to him if he wants to go through it again, at least for another season.