Travis Kelce will command a deal worth up to $20million if he calls time on his playing career to become an NFL analyst in 2026, an insider has claimed.
The Kansas City Chiefs legend is set to weigh up retirement once again this offseason after failing to make the playoffs, less than a year after nearly walking away on the back of their humiliating Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
After what may well have been his final NFL game on Sunday, which ended in a 14-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Kelce, 36, admitted he will now take some time to ‘figure things out’ over the coming months.
Should he choose to hang up his cleats, one option on the table for him will be to follow older brother Jason and iconic quarterback Tom Brady into broadcasting, with every sports network in America likely to scrap it out for his signature.
And according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Kelce will receive somewhere between $10m and $20m per year if he swaps the field for the studio.
‘I think Travis Kelce is one who, if he retires, definitely could do TV,’ Marchand said on his Marchand Sports Media podcast, via Awful Announcing. ‘I think he wants to do games, so that’s one to watch.’
Travis Kelce will reportedly command a deal worth up to $20m if he becomes an NFL analyst
The Chiefs legend could follow Tom Brady into broadcasting if he retires from football
‘He’s a guy who is only going to take a No. 1 job, to me,’ he added. ‘He’s going to get anywhere from 10 to 20 million, because he’s Travis Kelce.’
Kelce, whose ‘New Heights’ podcast with brother Jason is one of the most successful sports podcasts in the country, already has experience on TV after appearing in Ryan Murphy’s FX horror show ‘Grotesquerie’ last year, while also presenting Prime Video’s ‘Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?’
Analyzing football obviously brings different challenges, but there are few better equipped to break down the sport than one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game.
The three-time Super Bowl winner will also be able to turn to Jason for advice if he becomes an analyst, with his brother nearing the end of his second season on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown.
Another legendary NFL figure cutting his teeth as a broadcaster is Brady, who signed a 10-year, $375m contract with Fox Sports in 2024.
The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers great has faced controversy since embarking on his TV career, nevertheless, after also acquiring a minority stake in the Raiders franchise – leading to accusations of a conflict of interest.
Many believe Kelce will bow out from the NFL ahead of his and fiancée Taylor Swift’s wedding this summer, which is set to take place on June 13 at the luxurious Ocean House in Rhode Island.
Kelce faces a huge decision over his future after Kansas City failed to make it into the playoffs
Many believe he will walk away from the game ahead of his and fiancee Taylor Swift’s wedding
Kelce and the Chiefs were beaten by the Las Vegas Raiders in what may prove his final game
When asked in the locker room on Sunday about his timeline for making a decision, he replied: ‘First things first, I just love this team. I’m proud of the way we finished this, even though it ended the way it did.
‘Guys still showed up. Gave it their all and that’s all you can ask for, man. I’ve got so much love for this team, this organization and the people here so I’ll spend some time with them, go through exit meetings tomorrow, get close to the family and figure things out.
‘Who knows? Either it hits me quick or I’ve got to take some time. Last year was a little bit easier. I think I knew right away I wanted to give this one a shot. I don’t know. We’ll see.’
Asked if he felt he achieved what he wanted to when he decided to return this season, Kelce replied: ‘Obviously we didn’t do as well as a team but I feel like I came into the season prepared and ready to rock and roll with the right intentions.
‘The ball just didn’t go our way in a lot of those close games unfortunately and I think if I do choose to come back that’s something I’ve really got to focus on, making sure I’m available and ready for those moments.’
