Travis Kelce has played a decade in the National Football League, and while he remains on top of his game, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end will eventually have to call it quits.
Thankfully for him, Kelce, 34, has an older brother who just went through that process.
Jason Kelce spoke to his younger brother about retirement on the Wednesday, June 19, episode of their “New Heights” podcast. Jason, 36, played 13 years in the NFL himself, all for the Philadelphia Eagles. He retired at the end of the 2023 season.
“This is when you’re going to start knowing, whenever this time comes, and you need to walk away,” Jason told his brother. “[It’s] the fighting your body, like you used to be able to do something you can’t do anymore. That’s when it’s like you’re fighting that, to continue to get that back. That’s when it starts to become hard. Bottom line is everyone knows when it’s time for them.”
For Jason, he knew that time came for him before it was apparent on the football field.
“I just don’t think I could play it at the level I used to play it at,” he said. “Even though people might disagree with that, I know it because I remember being out there last year not being able to execute the way I wanted to.”
Jason Kelce announcing his retirement from the NFL Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
With Travis under contract for two more seasons, he doesn’t seem close to ready to hang it up. He did, however, share when he thinks he’ll know it’s time.
“I love playing this game at the highest level possible,” he said. “And I love playing it at a level where I know I can have a bunch of success. I know I can still go out there and mow down dudes in the end zone. I know I can go out there and catch a flat route and turn it into a 15-, 20-yard game and make a few guys miss.
“The moment that I can’t do that, I think that’s when I’m just gonna be like, ‘Alright. What am I doing this for?’” he explained.
Football is ultimately a game, and Travis says he still finds excitement in it. He should, considering he is coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins with the Chiefs.
“I get excitement out of catching a ball, splitting a bunch of defenders, and getting a huge first down when nobody expected me to do it,” he added. “Or, I scored a huge touchdown in a playoff game, in the Q4 when the team needed it the most.”
Though Travis is still having fun out there, his brother left him with one more nugget that may make retirement more intriguing.
“Your body starts feeling really good when you retire,” Jason noted. “It’s pretty amazing when you’re not playing football how much better you feel.”
