Kansas City Chiefs’ Clark Hunt breaks silence on Travis Kelce retirement rumors with major endorsement for 2026
Kansas City Chiefs CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt spoke about Travis Kelce’s future on Tuesday’s episode of “Good Morning Football.”
With the 2026 NFL offseason slowly marching toward the new league year in March, Kansas City Chiefs fans still await news on All-World TE Travis Kelce’s football-playing future.
Some expect the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats after a disappointing 2025 NFL season, with the team dropping to 6-11 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014. He, of course, has plenty waiting for him after his football career ends. There’s also the question of his expiring contract with the Chiefs and whether the club would even want him back.
With news that Kelce would miss the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, many felt it wasn’t just a sign of a busy offseason, but a sign that a decision on his future was near. Now, we’re hearing an update from the top of the Chiefs’ organization that sheds new light on Kelce’s future.
Chiefs CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt hopes Travis Kelce will be back in 2026
Chiefs CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt joined NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” to speak about the annual 101 Awards, the Chiefs’ offseason plans, and more. Kyle Brandt asked Hunt about Kelce’s future and whether he could provide any information on what way he might be leaning.
“Well, as an organization, we certainly hope that he will come back,” Hunt said of Kelce. “You know, he had another great year, maybe, you know, not on par with where he was four or five years ago, but still had over 800 yards. Was really one of the leaders on the offensive side of the ball for us. So there’s no doubt in my mind that he can still play. We’re trying to be respectful and let him have the time that he needs to make a decision. He has sort of a busy offseason coming up with his engagement and marriage. So we want to be respectful, give him the time he needs to make the decision, but we certainly hope that he’ll be back.”
The fact that Hunt still believes in Kelce’s ability on the football field is a pretty strong endorsement. His words seem to suggest that he’d be all for signing Kelce for another season, with his contract set to expire when the new league year begins. It will ultimately come down to one thing: what Kelce wants for his future.
Bringing back a familiar offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy certainly won’t hurt the team’s chances of getting Kelce to sign up for another season. Approaching it all with respect, with both sides understanding there is a rough deadline for a decision in the not-so-distant future, should also make this go that much easier.
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