Chris Jones Shares His Thoughts on Travis Kelce’s Retirement Rumors: “I Hope This Isn’t His Final Season”

Travis Kelce; Chris Jones.
Credit:

Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty; Kathryn Riley/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Travis Kelce’s teammate Chris Jones addressed rumors regarding Kelce’s potential retirement after the team’s final game on January 4.
• “We have just been through so much together, and Travis has been a pivotal part of this offense for so long, and he’s been like a brother… I hope this isn’t the last year,” Jones said following the Chiefs’ loss to the Denver Broncos.
• While Kelce refrained from confirming his retirement during the December 25 game, he expressed that he was feeling “a lot of emotions.”

On December 25, Chris Jones and the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Denver Broncos, after which speculation about Kelce’s retirement began to circulate. Jones, defensive tackle for the Chiefs, expressed his wishes in a post-game interview.

“I hope not, man,” Jones remarked in response to questions about Kelce, 36. “We have just been through so much together, and Travis has been a pivotal part of this offense for so long, and he’s been like a brother… I hope he gives it one more year. Just one more.”

Kelce, reflecting on what may have been his last home game for the Chiefs, noted, “I’m feeling a whole lot of emotions.” He was joined in attendance by his fiancée, Taylor Swift, and his mother, Donna Kelce, who watched from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium.

“You’ve got everybody in the world watching you,” Kelce said during a postgame press conference. “You get to go out there with the young guys on primetime television. Young guys getting an opportunity to taste what this NFL life is like,” he added, highlighting the importance of the moment.

In a separate Prime Video interview earlier that day, Kelce opened up about the challenges of his decision-making process regarding retirement, especially after a 13-year career in the NFL.

Travis Kelce during the Chiefs-Broncos game on December 25, 2025.

Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty

“You know, that’s a good question. I think I’m still searching for those answers,” Kelce told retired football star Tony Gonzalez. “The way this one ended with a sour taste in my mouth… I feel motivated, but I’ve got to make the right decision for me.”

As his contract concludes after the 2025 NFL season, Kelce made it clear his primary focus remains on finishing the current season strongly. “I got to hope that if I do want to come back, the Chiefs are willing to bring me back,” he stated, emphasizing the mutual nature of such decisions.

“It’s a two-way street on that,” he added. “But at the same time, I’m just trying to finish out and give Chiefs Kingdom everything that I’ve got and go out there and do it with some of that flair that you said I play with,” he remarked, highlighting his commitment to the team and fans.