The Kansas City Chiefs tight end looks ahead to what's next while shutting down speculation that he's leaving the NFL anytime soon.
Travis Kelce is thinking about his end game. The 34-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end fielded questions about retirement during a press conference on Thursday, shutting down any speculation that he's gearing up to leave the gridiron anytime soon.
"Whoever's not thinking about stuff down the road, I blame you," Kelce told reporters, suggesting that professionals in any career should and would be thinking about future plans.
"I have no reason to stop playing football," he clarified. "I love it, we still have success, come in with the right mindset. I just love the challenge that it gives me every single day to try and be my best. Like I said, I have no desire to stop anytime soon."
The decorated athlete went on to hint at what his post-football career might look like when the time does come.
"That's the point of the offseason," he explained. "Being able to get out there and really find what you love to do and I've been fortunate to do a few things outside of the sports world that I've been enjoying doing, like getting on camera."
He continued, "The SNL stuff kinda opened up a new happiness and maybe a new career path for me, but it's funny for me to even say that at this point in my career because it's so much further down the road than it is right now."
After his second Super Bowl win last year, Kelce went on to host Saturday Night Live. While the late night program marked his first foray into the world of scripted performance, he also appeared in the 2023 documentaries Kelce and Quarterback. Before that, Kelce gave the world of reality TV a go with the 2016 dating competition series, Catching Kelce.
Kelce's remarks come after a New York Times profile on his business managers -- twin brothers André and Aaron Eanes -- indicated that his team was aiming to model his career after that of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
The Eanes brothers, who have been friends with Travis since his college days at the University of Cincinnati, recalled a February 2022 during a drive around Los Angeles, where Kelce, who is currently dating Taylor Swift, expressed admiration for billboards featuring the former WWE hero turned A-list action star. At the time, they said, Travis doubted he could ever reach that level of fame. The Eanes brothers, however, disagreed, telling Travis, "Yes, you can."
In the months that followed, a strategic mission began with Travis hosting Saturday Night Live, becoming a face for brands like State Farm and Pfizer, and achieving success with his podcast, New Heights alongside his brother, Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce. He even entered the world of music, topping the Billboard charts with a Christmas tune.
In the midst of it all, Kelce also began a high-profile relationship with pop sensation Swift -- which, they said, was not part of the plan.
"People say to me, 'Man, it's been a crazy year,'" shared Aaron. "When I say, 'Actually, it's not that crazy,' people look at me funny. It's because it's easy when you have a plan. We're executing that plan."
Kelce and his Chiefs will face off against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday for the wildcard round of the NFL playoffs, as they pursue a return to the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.
In the offseason, Kelce's management said, they are focused on a strategy of quality over quantity when it comes to appearances.
"We positioned Travis to be world-famous," André told NYT. "We didn't know how it would happen, or when it would happen, or what would help push that further along. But it's always been the thought in the back of our minds."
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