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Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones defended Travis Kelce after a former general manager said the team should move on from the tight end this offseason.
Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said Wednesday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that the Chiefs should cut Kelce and look to upgrade the position with a younger, faster player.
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) gestures to the crowd during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
Jones, a defensive tackle, had a two-word answer.
“Shut up,” he wrote on X.
Tannenbaum said the Chiefs front office should project what a player can bring to the table now, instead of evaluating past performance.
“I would walk away from Travis Kelce and let me tell you why. When you’re in the front office, you have to project what a player is going to do,” he said. “That’s not what they did. I’ve made that mistake countless times in my career. And Travis Kelce is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but when you look at him and make an honest, sober assessment of his performance in 2025, clearly his best days are behind him.
“We talk about their lack of explosive plays, if I were Kansas City I would make the right, albeit difficult, decision to move on from Travis Kelce to try to get younger, faster and more explosive at the tight end position.”
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) talks with Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (8) after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2025. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
PATRICK MAHOMES MAKES CURIOUS COMMENTS ABOUT TRAVIS KELCE WITH CHIEF SEASON ON EDGE
Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion and 11-time Pro Bowler, has seen his numbers decline over the past three seasons. However, as he gets older, defensive coaches are more willing to cover Kelce in a way that prevents Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense from hurting them.
He had better numbers from the 2024 season to the 2025 season. He totaled 851 receiving yards on 76 catches and five touchdowns last season – compared to 2024 when he had 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns. He also proved to be a valuable target for Mahomes’ replacements when he suffered a season-ending injury.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce waves to the crowd on the 10th hole during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 13, 2026. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)
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Kelce could still choose to retire, making the Chiefs’ decision moot. But for now, his future still hangs in the balance.
