As the Kansas City Chiefs wrap up a rare season without a playoff berth, the conversation around Travis Kelce’s future is starting to heat up - and one of the NFL’s most respected voices is weighing in.
Eli Manning, the two-time Super Bowl champ and longtime face of the New York Giants, recently shared his perspective on the possibility of Kelce calling it a career. With Kelce’s 13th NFL season in the books and his contract set to expire, questions about whether the All-Pro tight end has played his final snap are more relevant than ever. Manning, who knows a thing or two about walking away from the game on his own terms, offered some thoughtful insight.
“That’s his decision, that only he can make,” Manning said. “Only he knows what his desire and commitment toward it is.”
And he’s right - retirement isn’t just about age or stats. It’s about the grind, the mindset, and whether the fire still burns.
Manning didn’t sugarcoat the reality of aging in the NFL. “As you get older, it’s not like you can do less and get the same result,” he explained.
“You’ve gotta work twice as hard to get half the results - the injuries, the buildup, you’re getting slower, the fast-twitch motions.” For a player like Kelce, whose game is built on precision, timing, and physicality, that decline hits differently.
Still, Manning expressed full confidence that Kelce will make the right call - whether that means gearing up for another run or stepping into a new chapter. “I think as [Kelce] thinks over these next few weeks or months, he’ll kind of know like, ‘Hey, am I itching to get back there and start grinding and start training and start doing everything I need to do?
Or am I ready for this next chapter?’” Manning said.
“He’s got other opportunities, he’s got other things that he can stay busy with.”
And that’s no exaggeration. Off the field, Kelce has built a media presence that few active players can match. His podcast, New Heights, co-hosted with his brother Jason Kelce, has become a go-to for fans and players alike - and it might just be the platform where he breaks the news, whenever that time comes.
On the January 7 episode of New Heights, Kelce didn’t offer any definitive answers, but he did open up about where his head’s at. “It’s a tough thing to navigate,” he admitted. “But at the same time, I think if my body can heal up and rest up and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it in a heartbeat.”
That’s the key right now - recovery. Kelce’s decision will likely hinge less on desire and more on whether his body can bounce back and handle the full-season grind again. “I think right now it’s just finding that answer and seeing how the body feels after this game and when it all settles down,” he said.
For now, the NFL world waits. Whether Kelce returns for a 14th season or decides to ride off into a well-earned retirement, there’s no question he’s already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game.
The next move? That’s up to him - and he’s earned the right to take his time.