Chiefs’ Travis Kelce says he’s returning to play in 2025

Travis Kelce plans to play in the 2025 season, Pat McAfee confirmed Thursday with the Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end.

McAfee read a text from Kelce on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.

I’m coming back for sure. Gonna try to get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop,” Kelce wrote in the text. “Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and with how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”

Kelce was held to four catches for 39 yards in the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX that denied Kansas City a chance at a three-peat. That ended a season in which he posted career lows (not counting his rookie season when he appeared in one game) in receiving yards (823) and touchdowns (3). He did lead the Chiefs in receptions, however, with 97

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach had said earlier this week at the scouting combine in Indianapolis that, based on his last conversation with Kelce, he expected the star tight end to play for the Chiefs this season.

Kelce, 35, said in multiple interviews the week of the Super Bowl that he intended to play again in 2025. But he was less definitive about his future in the days after the game on his “New Heights” podcast.

Kelce has an $11.5 million roster bonus on March 15 that would trigger in the final year of his contract. But Veach said this week that there is no deadline for Kelce to make his decision.
The Kansas City Chiefs have informed Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith that he will use the franchise tag on him, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.

The deadline for teams to use the franchise tag is Monday at 4 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs and Smith will have until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract. If no deal is reached by that date, Smith will play the 2025 season on his franchise tender.

Smith, 25, joined the Chiefs as a sixth-round draft pick in 2021 out of Tennessee.

Like many teams, the Chiefs had a much higher draft grade on Smith but didn’t select him until the sixth round because of concerns over a blood-clot issue in his lungs while in college. But Smith immediately took over at right guard for Kansas City, starting 67 of a possible 68 regular-season games in his four years. He also hasn’t missed a start in 13 postseason games.
In 2024, Smith ranked 13th among guards in pass block win rate (93.9%) and sixth in run block win rate (career-high 75.1%). He allowed just 1.5 sacks, per NFL Next Gen Stats, and committed just two penalties. He was rewarded with his first Pro Bowl nod.

The previous three seasons, Smith finished in the top four in pass rush win rate among guards, including second in both 2021 (96.0%) and 2023 (96.6%).

NFL teams were informed Thursday that the 2025 salary cap has been set at a record $279.2 million per team, league spokesperson Brian McCarthy announced.

It’s an increase of $23.8 million per team. Last year’s salary cap was $255.4 million per team.

McCarthy also announced that the limit on projected player costs, including benefits, is set at $362.48 million.