Travis Kelce admits watching fiancee Taylor Swift continue to make history motivated him to return to the Kansas City Chiefs next season.
The legendary tight end, 36, deliberated over his future once again this offseason after Kansas City’s miserable 2025 season, which saw them fail to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Despite putting up some of the worst numbers of his career, it was revealed on Monday that Kelce is neither retiring or leaving the Chiefs altogether after agreeing a new one-year deal worth up to $15million to remain with the team.
And 24 hours later, he appeared on Tuesday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show to explain how pop megastar Swift – who recently wrapped up the highest-grossing concert tour of all time – inspired his decision.
When McAfee asked if his fiancée’s continued success in the music industry influenced him at all, Kelce said: ‘Without a doubt. We share the same love for what we do and fortunately we’ve had this desire since we were kids in our selective professions.
‘It’s amazing to see her keep going to the table, keep finding new things to write about, keep finding new melodies and things like that. And on top of that, still seeing her have that love and joy in what she does – yeah of course that’s motivating. That’s motivating for anybody to see, let alone [when it’s] my fiancee.
Travis Kelce has revealed how Taylor Swift inspired him to return for another year in the NFL
The 36-year-old has agreed a new one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason
‘Knowing that I’m going through something where I’m trying to figure out what the future holds for me, something like that definitely motivates me to say, “You know what? I’m not done either! I’ve still got some ideas in the back of my mind and still got some juice left to play this game.”‘
McAfee also pointed out how Kelce already dropped a major hint that he was going to steer clear of retirement when he gushed over the return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy earlier in the offseason.
‘Once I started dating Taylor I started understanding what Easter Eggs were, and kind of just placing those things all over the planet and everybody starts to catch on,’ the three-time Super Bowl winner joked before admitting, ‘Yeah, that was a slip-up… I didn’t even realize I said that.’
Kelce’s new one-year contract was not the only major Chiefs news on Monday, with the team also nailing down one of the biggest signings of 2026 so far in Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker.
Walker, who hit free agency just weeks after inspiring the Seattle Seahawks to victory against the New England Patriots, agreed to a three-year, $43.05million deal which could grow to $45m and includes $28.7m in guaranteed money.
‘The Chiefs are making moves Pat,’ Kelce told McAfee. ‘We’ve got Brett Veach and Andy Reid going and getting the Super Bowl MVP… are you kidding me?!’
Kelce appeared on Tuesday’s The Pat McAfee Show to speak out on his decision to return
He explained how fiancee Swift continuing to break records influenced him to come back
Kelce also gushed over the Chiefs signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker (left) on Monday
Kelce, who is set to tie the knot with Swift in a lavish Rhode Island wedding this summer, also stressed that spending another season working alongside Reid and close friend Patrick Mahomes was too good of an opportunity to turn down.
‘I’m not gonna lie, it was pretty short and brief – and the Chiefs knew where I was on it the entire time,’ he said about his retirement decision.
‘You always need to take a step back, breathe, let the emotions of the season settle down and see where the body is and things like that.
‘But man, I’m still in love with this game. I still love going to work, putting on the pads, grinding it out and playing the game. I think my best opportunity was playing for the Chiefs yet again and running this thing back with Patrick Mahomes and Coach Reid.
‘I’ve got my guy Coach Bieniemy back. There’s a lot of pieces in Kansas City I absolutely love and I can’t wait to get back in the building with them.’
