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Three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce has already had a notable summer away from football, but another major moment could be on the horizon.
Kelce confirmed in March that he would return for his 14th season in the NFL, ending months of retirement speculation.
Shortly after his July 3 wedding to singer Taylor Swift, Kelce appeared in an Instagram photo shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter, who added text to the image that quickly raised eyebrows.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) looks on before kickoff against the New Orleans Saints during an NFL game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“Please know that the GOAT is preparing for THE LAST DANCE. Next stop Canton/HOF,” Carter wrote Monday.
Carter currently works as director of player development for Florida Atlantic football, and the post referenced his years working with Kelce. Andrew Spruill, Kelce’s longtime strength and conditioning coach, also appeared alongside them.
“Andrew and I started with Travis before his first year in the NFL,” Carter wrote.
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Kelce’s offseason work also caught the attention of Johnny Olsen, another coach with close ties to the Chiefs star, as he prepares for the season kickoff.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce greets fans as he arrives before training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri on July 28, 2023. (Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)
Carter’s post sparked reactions on social media, with some fans questioning the reference to Kelce’s future.
“Can Travis be allowed to announce his own retirement please? Everything about him is making headlines. Are you saying this for attention? He’s always said he doesn’t want a farewell tour or for the focus to be on him during the season. Travis has earned the right to announce himself whenever he sees fit,” one fan wrote in a social media post.
Kelce enters the 2026 campaign with over 13,000 career regular season receiving yards and 82 touchdowns.
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The Chiefs’ decade of playoff appearances came to an abrupt end in Week 15 of last season after falling short at Arrowhead Stadium in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes attend an NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, November 5, 2023. (Getty Images)
Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL injury when he struggled for a few yards in the final minutes of the game. Mahomes participated in seven-on-seven drills in May, about five months after a procedure to treat a torn ACL and LCL.
In January, Mahomes said he aimed to be ready for the Chiefs’ regular-season opener.
