Travis Kelce Out of the Pro Bowl, but Hints at a Return to Chiefs Kingdom
Travis Kelce won’t be suiting up for the Pro Bowl next month, and the NFL world is left scratching its head. On Friday, the Buffalo Bills announced that rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid would be heading to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for Kelce.
The official word? Injury replacement.
But here’s the twist: there hasn’t been any public confirmation that Kelce is actually injured.
Kelce hasn’t taken the field since the Chiefs’ season-ending loss on January 4, and with Kansas City missing the playoffs, speculation about his future has been swirling. Retirement rumors have been gaining steam, and many fans were hoping the Pro Bowl might offer one last glimpse of the future Hall of Famer in action-just in case it was his swan song.
Instead, we’re left with more questions than answers.
The Pro Bowl Games kick off Tuesday, February 3, just days before Super Bowl LX. And while Kelce won’t be there, he’s been dropping some breadcrumbs that suggest he might not be done just yet.
One of the biggest clues? His reaction to the return of Eric Bieniemy to Kansas City.
In recent weeks, the Chiefs have undergone a shakeup on the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is out as he pursues a head coaching opportunity, and in his place, the team is expected to bring back Bieniemy-a familiar and respected face in the building.
Kelce lit up when talking about Bieniemy on his New Heights podcast.
“I can’t wait to see [Bieniemy] back in the building, man,” Kelce said. “He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time. One of my favorite people of all time.”
That’s not just lip service. Kelce has long credited Bieniemy for helping shape him both on and off the field. Their bond goes beyond X’s and O’s-it’s rooted in trust, growth, and years of shared success.
Bieniemy spent 10 seasons with the Chiefs, helping design and execute one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL. From 2018 to 2022, his units never finished outside the top six in scoring or yardage, and twice they led the league in both categories. After stints with the Commanders (2023), UCLA (2024), and the Bears (2025), he’s poised to return to the team where his coaching legacy truly took off.
Kelce’s admiration for Bieniemy was clear as he continued to praise the coach’s influence-even during his time in Chicago.
“You can kinda see his personality, what he brings to the table in that Chicago team,” Kelce said. “Ben Johnson has his own version of that-he’s a tough guy-and what he did in Detroit, he brought over as well.
But you could see it in those running backs in Chicago. Their body of work was definitely an Eric Bieniemy style of football.”
For Chiefs fans hoping Kelce gives it one more go, Bieniemy’s return could be the key. At 36, Kelce has nothing left to prove.
He’s a Super Bowl champ, a perennial All-Pro, and arguably the greatest tight end of his generation. But if there’s one thing that might keep him going, it’s the chance to reunite with a coach who helped him reach those heights.
So while he won’t be in the Pro Bowl spotlight this February, don’t count out Kelce just yet. His cleats may be on the shelf for now-but if Bieniemy is back in the building, there’s a real chance Kelce won’t be far behind.