Speculation that Kansas City Chiefs' tight end Travis Kelce could be on the brink of retiring reached a fever pitch on Christmas Day, after the team experienced a disappointing loss against the Denver Broncos.
Kelce's beau and future wife, Taylor Swift, watched on at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, as the Chiefs suffered yet another blow with a 20-13 loss in the final home game of a difficult season that has seen the team ruled out of the playoffs.
Cameras swarmed the NFL star as he left the pitch after his side's fifth consecutive loss, with Kelce seeming to soak in the atmosphere as fans still await his decision on whether this will be the three-time Super Bowl winner's last season.
Advert
Head coach Andy Reid, who joined the Chiefs at the same time as Kelce in 2013, attempted to shut down rumors that his record-breaking tight end might be hanging up his hat at a post-game press conference dominated by questions about the 36-year-old's retirement.
As per ESPN's Nate Taylor, Reid told the gathered reporters: "We’ll talk another time about all of that," before attempting to change the topic of conversation.
Ahead of the game, Reid had heaped praise on Kelce whose skills off the pitch, hosting the popular New Heights podcast and dating superstar Swift, have brought greater interest and new fans to the NFL.
He said at a pre-game briefing: "He’s everything you want from a player representing an organization. A phenomenal person, great for the community."
Kelce is likely to take to the field at least once more for his side on January 4, when the Chiefs take on the Los Angeles Raiders, who are two wins to 13 losses this season.
At the same post-game conference, Kelce responded to the avalanche of questions about his future, saying: "Honestly, I’ve just been focused on trying to win football games, man."
While he stayed tight-lipped, the sports star did admit that the topic of his career was still being debated. Kelce added: "I’ll let that be a decision I make with my family, friends, [and] the Chiefs organization when the time comes."
Whatever Kelce decides about his future, Christmas Day's game against the Broncos will likely be his last at Arrowhead Stadium.
This week, it was announced that the Chiefs would be moving to a new purpose-built $3 billion stadium with a domed roof in Wyandotte County, Kansas, which would allow the team to host the Super Bowl in the future.
While the move will remain controversial with fans in Missouri, Reid said he was excited about the new stadium's potential, saying on December 22: "It doesn't matter if it's here or Kansas.
"We're not moving to Florida or somewhere else. We're right here. We've always had Kansas people come here to the Missouri side, and it'll be likewise the other way. That's the beautiful thing about it."
Topics: Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Sport
William Morgan