Travis Kelce dropping serious weight following Super Bowl heartbreak, ready for potential “last dance”.
The Kansas City Chiefs are determined to bounce back from their crushing Super Bowl 59 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles. After the loss, many fans wondered if star tight end Travis Kelce might hang up his cleats, as retirement rumors had been swirling. Kelce quickly put those rumors to bed during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” making it clear he’s coming back for 2025 – he’s not ready to “go out” the way the Chiefs did against the Eagles.
And he’s putting his money where his mouth is.
ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler revealed on “SportsCenter” Saturday that Chiefs fans can expect to see a dramatically different Kelce when minicamp opens next week. The eight-time Pro Bowler has apparently shed about 25 pounds this offseason – a transformation he promised after playing noticeably heavier during the 2024 campaign.
The #Chiefs will see a slimmer Travis Kelce at minicamp next week.
(@SportsCenter with @KevinNegandhi) pic.twitter.com/WFDrnkEGq7— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) June 14, 2025
“He will debut a bit of a slimmer look. He’s told people close to him that he’s lost about 25 pounds this offseason. He played a little heavier in 2024, it was sort of a thing. He vowed to change it and he has.
“As we talked about before, this could be the last dance here for him. Mid-30s, still a productive player. They want to go to him on third down, but declining a little bit. He’s trying to be slimmer and has gone hardcore this offseason to make it work in what could be his final season.”
The numbers don’t lie: Kelce needs a bounce-back year
The extra weight Kelce carried last season seemed to impact his production. The future Hall of Famer posted career-lows with just 823 receiving yards and three touchdowns during the regular season – a significant drop from his usual 1,000+ yard campaigns. His playoff numbers (13 catches, 175 yards, 1 TD) were also his lowest since 2018.
This isn’t the first time retirement talks have surrounded the 35-year-old tight end.
Around Super Bowl 58, Kelce publicly stated he would walk away from football if head coach Andy Reid decided to retire. Both men ultimately returned for the 2024 season. The uncertainty bubbled up again following Kansas City’s lopsided Super Bowl 59 loss, but Kelce is clearly focused on redemption – and getting his body right is step one.
The weight loss shows just how serious Kelce is about making a run at his fourth championship ring. While many tight ends see their production drop dramatically in their mid-30s, Kelce appears determined to buck that trend. He’s already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest tight ends ever – ranking second all-time in receiving yards at the position behind only Tony Gonzalez – but his competitive fire clearly still burns.
When Chiefs minicamp opens next week, all eyes will be on the slimmed-down Kelce as he begins what could potentially be his NFL farewell tour.