With one game remaining in the 2025 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs sit at 6–10, third in the AFC West, and are set to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
The defining storyline of the year came on December 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers, when franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL injury—an outcome that has cast uncertainty over his availability for the start of the 2026 season and reshaped the organization’s future outlook.
Mahomes finished the season with 3,587 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, adding 422 rushing yards and five rushing scores across 14 games, relatively modest production compared to years past.
Amid broader speculation that the Chiefs’ dynasty may be nearing its end, rumors have emerged that the 2025 season could mark the final chapter of star tight end Travis Kelce’s NFL career.
Speaking on “Good Morning America” on Monday, former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski advised Kelce to “listen to your gut” and return only if he still loves the game and believes he belongs on the field.
“The only advice that I would give him, because I’ve been in this situation before, is listen to your gut feeling. If you truly love the game of football and you feel like you belong out there on the football field, well then go back. Look at your options, see what’s presented to you on the table and weigh it all out and take your time.”
“But only go back to the game of football if you truly believe and feel like you belong on the field still,” Gronkowski added. “If your heart’s not in it, well then you got a lot of opportunities ahead of you and he’s gonna be successful in whatever he does in his next venture.”
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Speculation intensified after Kelce’s emotional reception during what many outlets described as a likely “final home introduction” at Arrowhead on Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos, a 20–13 Chiefs loss.
Many framed the moment as a possible farewell, though no official retirement announcement followed.
Kelce has since publicly deferred a decision, telling media he plans to discuss his future with family and the team before deciding after the season.
Across 12 NFL seasons, Kelce has earned 11 Pro Bowl selections, seven All-Pro honors, and three Super Bowl championships.
He also holds league records for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons by a tight end (seven), career postseason receptions (174), and postseason touchdowns by a tight end (15), while ranking 23rd all-time in career receiving yards (12,990).
He’s one of the modern era’s most productive tight ends and is widely recognized as a future Hall of Famer.
Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most decorated tight ends in NFL history, earning five Pro Bowl selections, four All-Pro honors, and totaling 621 receptions for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns across his 11-year career.
He initially retired after the 2018 season, returned to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and later signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the New England Patriots, where he spent the first nine years of his career.
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