Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has answered the question multiple times this week, just as he did in his previous two Super Bowls: When will his playing days come to an end?
And while the star player has spoken glowingly about his situation and how much football he no doubt still has in him, sources say Kelce still hasn't made up his mind about whether or not he'll play in 2025.
It is, in fact, possible that Super Bowl LIX on Sunday is the final game of Kelce's 12-year professional career.
Kelce, who is in the conversation for greatest tight end to ever play in the NFL, is expected to take time after the Super Bowl, consider his future and make a decision before free agency, which officially begins March 12.
Sources informed of his thinking say Kelce's decision could hinge on the results of Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
During Super Bowl LIX Opening Night on Feb. 3, Kelce was asked where he’ll be in three years and said, "Hopefully still playing football. I love doing this. I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still got a lot of good football left in me."
In the next breath, the 35-year-old noted, "We'll see what happens. I know I've been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That's always been the goal, knowing that football only lasts for so long."
He concluded one of his answers this week with, "For the most part, I'm planning on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football."
Consider the door open.
For most players, the kind of year Kelce had in 2024 would be a career goal. But for the 10-time Pro Bowler, it was a bit of a down campaign. He posted his lowest yardage total (823) and fewest touchdown catches (three) since his rookie season in 2013. Of course, he also had 117 yards and a TD against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, so when the lights get bright, he's still Kelce.
If he did retire, he'd do so with a lot of game left in the tank. But unlike most players, Kelce, who carries a base salary of $4.5 million for 2025 and has an $11.5 million roster bonus due on March 14, would almost certainly make more money off the field after retirement than he would on the field playing.
His wildly popular New Heights podcast with his brother, Jason, has been beyond lucrative. In 2024, Kelce starred in the FX horror series, Grotesquerie. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 2023 and also hosts Are you Smarter Than a Celebrity?, a Prime Video game show.
The opportunities for Kelce are endless.
But first is Sunday's Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
A win would make the Chiefs the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, allowing Kelce to walk off into the sunset in a way almost no one gets to do. A loss could fuel him to return for the 2025 season, but it also could show him it's time.
Kelce's future should be clearer in the coming days and weeks.
