As the Kansas City Chiefs begin preparations for the 2025 NFL season, they do so under the shadow of a farewell as Travis Kelce, the team’s cornerstone receiver, could potentially retire – and Rashee Rice believes it’s a real threat.
The tight end has remained at the heart of the offense for years but as age begins to catch up with the 35-year-old, even his closest teammates are beginning to confront the possibility that his time on the field may be nearing its end.
Rice, who has developed a strong personal and professional bond with Kelce, revealed just how concerned he was about the possibility of losing the future Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion.
“Yeah I was real concerned, I ain’t gonna lie,” Rice said of the retirement talk. “It’s Trav, you know what I’m saying?
“It’s Trav. But it’s like me getting hurt last year, it was like kind of a wake up call.”
Rice missed most of the 2024/25 NFL season after suffering a knee injury in Week 4, robbing him of a chance to continue building on-field chemistry with Kelce, something that ultimately cost the Chiefs in their Super Bowl LIX defeat.
And in the wake of that loss to the Eagles, Travis‘ future became a major talking point as he reportedly considered if he has what it takes to do another year in professional football or if he pivots to new career ventures.
During that uncertain period, Rice took it upon himself to reach out to his colleague to try to convince him to do at least one more season at the Arrowhead Stadium with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
“I ain’t even gonna lie, I’m 95 percent the reason he ain’t retiring,” Rice said to the I Am Athlete podcast. “Told him he can’t go out like that, make sure we get that next year.
“I’m pretty sure he was hanging it up, and I’m like, ‘we can’t go out like that. We gotta win that, I’m going to make sure we win that,’ that’s what I told him.”
According to Rice, the tight end texted him back saying, “You really got me thinking about it. I really appreciate you reaching out to me.”
“I really want him to come back,” Rice added. ” Kind of realize the guys that you got to play with once it’s all over.
“So I get to actually be in my footsteps right now… and just enjoy his presence around the team.”
Kelce focuses in on 2025/26 NFL season
Following the Super Bowl loss, rumors swirled about Kelce‘s physical condition and mental readiness for another season, including speculative commentary on weight gain, added fuel to retirement talk.
However, head coach Andy Reid quickly reassured fans, stating that Kelce was “training like crazy” and he has even dropped 25lbs as he looks to enter the 2025/26 campaign in optimal conditioning.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Kelce is expected to report to minicamp noticeably leaner after training at a private estate in Boca Raton, Florida and Mahomes said his long-time friend is determined to be even better on the field.
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