Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs lifts the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl LVIII at … [+]
Just two days after wrapping up the 2024 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs announced an extension for future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure,” said Kelce in a video posted on the Chiefs’ social media. “Chiefs forever!”
The contract extension for the Pro Bowl tight end adds two years and $34.25 million to the two years remaining on his old contract. He now has $17 million in fully guaranteed money in 2024 and is signed through 2027 when he’ll be 38.
Now that doesn’t mean the 34-year-old tight end, who will turn 35 in October, will necessarily play four more years. (Longer contracts benefit the team because it can spread out the money and manipulate the salary cap.)
But it does mean that a player, who was extremely underpaid, is finally getting what he deserved.
Kelce will have an average annual value (AAV) of $17.125 million, which makes him the highest-paid tight end for the first time in his career.
Prior to this extension, he was on a four-year, $57.25 million contract. That AAV of $14.3 million ranked fifth among all active NFL tight ends.
His new deal is more in line with what a player, who has 907 career receptions for 11,328 yards and is still at the top of his game, should receive.
“The energy that he brings is so contagious,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “He’s been doing this a long time with a lot of success. When he brings that energy, people just feed off of it.”
Kelce caught 93 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, but those numbers would have been higher if he hadn’t chosen to sit out the last game of the year rather than pursue a record eighth straight 1,000-yard season.
Partly as a result of sitting out that game, Kelce looked refreshed in the playoffs, recording 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdown while leading the Chiefs to the Super Bowl LVIII title.
In that game Kelce recorded his fastest speed as a ballcarrier during the last seven seasons, demonstrating that he has not literally or figuratively slowed down.
He reached that top speed of 19.68 mph on a crucial play. His 22-yard reception with 16 seconds left set up the Chiefs’ game-tying field goal to help send the game into overtime.
While retaining that kind of speed, he discounted any rumors of a pending retirement despite the fact that a booming entertainment career for Kelce, who is in a highly publicized relationship with megastar Taylor Swift, awaits.
“I have no reason to stop playing football, man. I love it,” he said. “I just love the challenge that it gives me every single day to try and be at my best. Like I said, I have no desire to stop anytime soon.”
If he does play until 38, he could break the all-time NFL marks of yardage (15,127) and receptions (1,325) for tight ends, which were set by former Chiefs star Tony Gonzalez.
Kelce, though, is more concerned with winning that stats.
“I’m thinking more Super Bowls,” he said, “when I talk legacy.”
