NEW ORLEANS — Travis Kelce has no plans to retire anytime soon even if the Kansas City Chiefs win a third straight Super Bowl on Sunday.
The future plans for the 35-year-old Kelce have been a lingering question as his fame has risen off the field thanks to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift and a media career thanks to one of the most popular sports podcasts.
Kelce was asked at opening night festivities Monday night before Kansas City plays Philadelphia in the Super Bowl where he plans to be in three years.
“Hopefully still playing football,” he said. “I love doing this, I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens. I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”
Kelce is still playing at a high level even if he has fallen off a bit from his peak. He had 97 catches this season but only gained 823 yards and scored three TDs.
Kelce had a throwback game in the divisional round win over Houston with seven catches for 117 yards and enters the Super Bowl with the most catches ever in the playoffs (174) and second to Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in yards receiving (2,039) and TD catches (20).
Kelce was one of the most popular players with the media during opening night with a large group of reporters and others surrounding his podium for the entire hour, peppering him with questions on all sorts of topics from football to dances to whether he planned to give Swift a ring if the Chiefs win on Sunday. He quickly responded, “A Super Bowl ring? Next question.”
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Kelce did say his relationship with Swift helps him on the football field by providing motivation that he needs to work as hard as she does to remain at the top of his game.
“I better hold up my end of the bargain,” he said. “If she’s out here being the superstar she is, never taking no for an answer, and always working her tail off, I better match that energy for sure.”
