Travis Kelce Contract Terms
Travis Kelce has agreed to return for a 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The deal is worth $12 million and carries a maximum value of $15 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Kelce turned down more money from other teams in free agency to stay with the Chiefs.
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Fantasy Football Impact for Travis Kelce with the Kansas City Chiefs
According to ESPN.com's Nate Taylor, Kelce, one of the NFL's most illustrious tight ends and a three-time champion with the Chiefs, made his decision just ahead of the start of the NFL's free agency period, as he was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
As one of the league's best tight ends, Kelce would've been an intriguing option for several teams, but he informed the Chiefs on Monday morning of his intentions to stay alongside coach Andy Reid -- his only coach throughout his NFL career -- quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, and pass rusher Chris Jones.
Two weeks ago, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach acknowledged that the team was hopeful that Kelce would return for another season, one that could be the last in his distinguished career.
"Travis is the best," Veach said at the NFL combine. "He's an icon, and hopefully he comes back. We'll just kind of let that process play out. It's not your typical 27-year-old [and] first time at free agency."
In early January, when the Chiefs' season ended, Kelce said he was uncertain about his future in the NFL, but he vowed to make a decision by early March, ahead of the NFL's free agency period.
He made good on that promise.
Even at age 36, Kelce still led the Chiefs last season in targets (108), receptions (76), yards (851), touchdowns (five), and receiving first downs (45).
Before last season, Kelce rededicated himself by having training sessions that were designed to improve his quickness and recapture some of the speed and agility he lost during the previous two years. The improved athleticism allowed Kelce to create yards after the catch, and he led the Chiefs in that category (424).
Kelce forced nine missed tackles in the regular season, per Pro Football Focus' data, which was triple the amount he had during the 2024 regular season.
Opposing defenses also continued to show Kelce plenty of respect. That included a Week 17 game when the Denver Broncos double-teamed him on the game-deciding fourth-down pass.
He finished last season by becoming the third tight end in NFL history to record at least 13,000 career receiving yards, doing so in just 192 games, the fastest to such an achievement. Kelce also became the second player in league history to record 75 receptions for 10 consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Fame receiver Tim Brown.
Although his 11.2 points per game ranked 10th at the position, Kelce finished 2025 as TE3.
It's safe to assume his initial TE19 Average Draft Position (ADP) will rise noticeably now that he's decided to return.
But will it rise enough?
With ongoing uncertainty surrounding Patrick Mahomes II's early-season availability and Kelce's age, there will be skeptics. Those skeptics don't include the Footballguys projections team, as Kelce sits at TE9.
