Chiefs Travis Kelce dark horse insurance is player Patrick Mahomes should know

Travis Kelce is one of the best pass-catchers of his generations, especially at his position. The second Kelce retires, he will become a surefire Hall of Famer. However, when that retirement date is remains a question, as Kelce hasn’t told the Chiefs whether he plans to return next season.

Kelce would turn 36 years old next season, and has quite the life outside of football. He’s a well-known actor and is dating pop icon Taylor Swift. If he doesn’t want to play, there is little reason for Kelce to force it. At the very least there is a lucrative career in broadcasting waiting for him.

The Chiefs would prefer Kelce make his decision by March 14, as the star tight end is set to receive a roster bonus at that point. Should he retire, the Chiefs will have time before the draft to figure out how to best replace Patrick Mahomes favorite weapon, whether it be via draft capital, free agency, trade or an in-house alternative. Right now, there is little the Chiefs can do in the way of planning, especially with that looming $11.5 million roster bonus.

If the Chiefs were to go the route of replacing Kelce on the fly, they have any number of options. Noah Gray, Jared Wiley and Jordy Fortson are the backups currently on the roster. There are numerous high-profile tight ends in this April’s draft class, including Tyler Warren of Penn State and Colston Loveland of Michigan. Both of those players would require at least a Day 2 pick to acquire, however, and that’s not in Brett Veach’s best interest. Kansas City has holes on the offensive line they’d like to fill late in Round 1.

One plausible option is a bit of a deep cut, admittedly. For those unfamiliar, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has modeled him game after Mahomes – even mimicking the Chiefs QB’s pregame routine. It’s a little bit sad, but also understandable – Mahomes is the best QB of Raiola’s generation. If Raiola can even be half the quarterback Mahomes is, he has a long NFL career ahead of him.

One of Raiola’s favorite weapons was Nebraska tight end Thomas Fidone. While Fidone would be a Day 3 pick at best, and most likely an undrafted free agent, he did show potential as a vertical threat with the Huskers. Fidone has a history of severe ACL injuries, which is why he might fall so far down draft boards. However, if any quarterback can get the most out of him, it is the real-life Mahomes, rather than a wanna-be in Raiola.

Fidone had four receiving touchdowns in 2024, which may not sound like a lot. However, we should also note the program he is playing for. That was the most by a Huskers tight end since 2010.

I am by no means suggesting Fidone is the answer, but he’s worth a look, even if that comes as a UDFA.