Travis Kelce’s life in retirement – Taylor Swift future, reality TV, brothers’ podcast

With Travis Kelce’s future up in the air, if Super Bowl LIX was the last time the superstar tight end is seen on the field, then he has plenty of other ventures to fall back on

The iconic Travis Kelce could now call time on his playing career – but he has enough going on behind the scenes to keep himself busy and his wallet full.

After coming up heartbreakingly short with the Kansas City Chiefs in their historic three-peat bid at Super Bowl LIX – being beaten 40-22 by the dynamic Philadelphia Eagles – rumors began as to whether the game would be Kelce’s last in the NFL.

While the man himself chose to bypass any questions and head to the comforting arms of his global popstar sweetheart Taylor Swift post-game, past comments and admissions have fuelled speculation. We take a look at what Kelce’s life could look like if he were to call it quits, including the future of his relationship, a potential TV career, and continuing his much-loved podcast.

After the Chiefs’ defeat in New Orleans, two members of the roster were asked about their team-mates’ potential retirement. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy admitted that it “might be their last game“ when speaking about his peers, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes revealed that Kelce “knows he has a lot of football left in him” but questioned whether the tight end’s drive remains.

Kelce himself has hinted in the past that his time on the gridiron could be dwindling, specifically during separate episodes of his award-winning podcast, New Heights. After playing against the Cleveland Browns in December 2024, Kelce stated: “I was just giving it one last hurrah before I’m done,” when discussing how scarcely he plays the Browns.

Retirement rumors consumed Kelce after Sunday’s defeat ( 
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AP)
Fellow tight end legend Tony Gonzalez’s games record was also touched upon, and the 35-year-old later added: “Goddamn, [Tony Gonzalez] played 210 games? I don’t know if I can… that’s almost 40 more games. I don’t know if I can play 40 more!“

The truth behind whether fans have seen Kelce take to the turf for the last time likely won’t be made clear until the start of free agency, though he’ll have plenty of opportunities should he hang up his cleats

Relationship future

After the Super Bowl, it became evident that Kelce and pop star Swift’s relationship was as strong as ever. According to the Mail, Swift being booed by the crowd when shown on the Superdome jumbotron ‘broke Kelce’s heart,’ and the tight end appeared on stage during her Eras Tour, showing just how supportive he is of her.

Rumors even suggested that had the Chiefs have won in New Orleans, he could have possibly popped the question. The 35-year-old has also dropped a hint on his podcast as to when he’d like to stage a wedding, saying: “I actually don’t know people who’ve gotten married in the fall because of all the weddings I’ve been to – my friends always do it in the summer.”

Kelce’s retirement would give him more time to support partner Swift ( 
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Getty Images)
Should Kelce retire, Swift won’t be pictured in the stands at Arrowhead or on the field after the game to cheer on her beau. But, it would give the tight end more time to support her glittering music career – while also enhancing the rumors of a proposal.

Furthermore, Swift could be the original inspiration behind another of Kelce’s future ventures, as he purchased a share in his first racehorse earlier in 2024 – and its namesake is clear.

Swift inspiration

The quite aptly named ‘Swift Delivery’ was acquired by Kelce in August and has already been thrown into a few high-profile races, including the Toronto Cup and Ontario Derby at Woodbine.

While this purchase could be a one-off, many other high-profile ex-players, including Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker, have dabbled in owning racehorses, and if Kelce is successful, it could provide him with quite a profitable side hustle.

Kelce purchased a stake in the horse in August ( 
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X)
Vance Hanson, racing horse expert at TwinSpires, explained: “Investing in and owning racehorses is an extremely risky business, but if you choose well, it can deliver extremely good dividends.

“As well as the obvious benefit of prize money payouts, racing horse owners can gain financially from breeding rights when they put their thoroughbreds out to stud, and by opening up ownership to syndication. Additionally, when you invest in a young horse, if it races well, it will almost certainly appreciate in value.”

From the field to the booth

If Kelce does hang up his cleats, then it is very likely he won’t be leaving our screens for good. The 35-year-old has already shown he has reality TV potential, starring in his own dating show before finding love with Swift, named ‘Catching Kelce.’

The show aired on E! in 2016 when Kelce was just 25 and had only recently signed with his beloved Chiefs. It lasted just seven episodes but immediately showed that Kelce had the personality for television. The tight end has also hosted ‘Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?’ on Amazon Prime, which also aired a feature documentary about his older brother.

Kelce’s brother Jason has already appeared as an analystAnother possibility aside from reality TV is broadcasting. Kelce’s brother, Jason, has appeared on ESPN’s Monday Night Football lineup, and the pair discussed the potential of heading to the booth on his podcast after Tom Brady’s bombshell $375million analyst deal with Fox was agreed upon.

“I want to broadcast when I’m done playing,” Kelce revealed, indicating that, when he does finally retire, becoming an analyst is a very likely move – alongside another of his media-based ventures, his award-winning podcast.

Both Kelce and his brother launched their New Heights podcast in 2022, and it has swiftly become one of the most popular sports podcasts in the US.

The producer of the show, Brandon Borders, even revealed that Kelce’s partner Swift is a fan of the show, which won the iHeartRadio Podcast of the Year award in 2024.

Kelce’s podcast is a success ( 
Image:
X / New Heights Podcast)

“She listens every week,” Borders admitted earlier this year, and it’s likely that when Kelce’s playing days come to an end, the show will continue – as has been the case with Jason, who retired in 2024.

Whether it be investing in side hustles, his relationship, or picking up the microphone and heading back onto our screens, Kelce has a range of different options available to him should the next few months be his last as an NFL star.