Travis Kelce has confronted rumours he is set to retire.
The 35-year-old tight end has been playing American football professionally since 2013 when he was first drafted to play for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The team were thrashed by the Philadelphia Eagles at the 2025 Super Bowl last weekend, however - losing 40-22 after winning the tournament the year before.
Confronting speculation that he might walk away from professional football following this defeat, Kelce did nothing to calm fan fears.
Speaking on his New Heights Podcast, the sportsman said, "It's gonna sting, I know everybody wants to know whether or not I'm playing next year, and right now I'm just kicking everything down the road."
He added, "I'm kicking every can, I can down the road."
He went on to vow that he will only return to the game if he is fully committed.
He said, "I'm gonna take some time to figure it out. I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, that it's gonna be something that is a whole-hearted decision. I'm not half-a**ing it. I'm fully here for them.
"I think I could play, it's just whether or not I'm motivated or its the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility."
Kelce, who has been dating music superstar Taylor Swift since September 2023, previously teased in a prior episode of his podcast that he had marriage on his mind, but was concerned the months he could tie-the-knot would be limited by demands the sport would have on his time.
