An NFL reporter has branded Travis Kelce a “legitimate cut candidate” for the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of Super Bowl 59.
Kelce is headed to his third straight Super Bowl with the AFC powerhouse and is widely recognized as the best tight end to ever grace the NFL. But his powers are waning.
He was limited to just 19 receiving yards in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, which marked the first time in five years that he registered less than 70 yards in a playoff game.
What a moment for Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ixC0gAiFh6
— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
Another Super Bowl win would cement Kelce’s legacy as the GOAT of TE’s. But even if KC falls short, he will go down as one of the most important players in their history.
Still, Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe reckons that the Chiefs could move on from the player, who could also decide to retire at the end of the season.
“I know. Your instinct is to yell and call me stupid, but first, just hear me out,” Rolfe wrote. “Travis Kelce is a legitimate cut candidate for the Kansas City Chiefs for a couple of reasons, the first being that he may just retire, which essentially means he will cut himself.”
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Travis Kelce Described As “A Fading Force”
Of course, retiring and getting cut are two very different things. But Rolfe has also explained why he thinks the Chiefs could release Kelce in the offseason despite giving him a two-year extension in 2024.
No interview like a Travis Kelce post-AFC championship win interview 😂 @tkelce pic.twitter.com/4kPjMAJTAY
— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
“Despite his playoff performances, Kelce has been a fading force this season,” he added. “His yards per reception had been above 12 for nine straight years entering 2023. Last year, that dropped to 10.6, and in 2024, it fell to 8.5. The eight touchdowns he scored over the last two seasons combined would have been considered a bad year between 2017 and 2022.”
Rolfe then suggested that any cut would be “procedural” in that he would be re-signed as a bit-part player under more team-friendly terms.
‘Kelce can clearly still be a role player for the Chiefs, but a role player costing $19.8 million is crazy, no matter how great they have been for your franchise in their career. Any cut for Kelce could be procedural, where he is nominally cut and then re-signed at a more cap-friendly deal. Equally, they could just throw four void years on and move upward of $12.5 million into the future as a thank-you to the veteran.”
The Chiefs certainly do not need to cut Travis Kelce to restructure his contract. While he isn’t the player he once was, it’s hard to see the tight end leaving the team, if not on his own terms.
Any other way would be a travesty.
