Chiefs' Reid, Kelce dismiss retirement talk
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid believe they both have plenty of football left in them.
Both men were asked about their respective futures as the Chiefs prepare for Saturday's wild-card game against the Miami Dolphins.
"I have no reason to not (keep playing) football," Kelce said Thursday, according to The Athletic's Nate Taylor. "I love it. I love the challenge it gives me every day. I have no desire to stop anytime soon."
With both Pete Carroll (72) and Bill Belichick (71) currently not in head coaching roles, Reid, who turns 66 in March, assumes the mantle as the oldest head coach in the NFL.
"I haven't even thought about (retirement)," Reid said, according to KCTV's Jared Koller. "I figured that would come up, 'cause I'm old. But not that old."
Reid, who's recorded an impressive 280 wins as a bench boss, is already the career wins leader for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Chiefs. His two Super Bowl wins in Kansas City place him in a tie for fifth-most in league history, according to Dave Skretta of The Associated Press.
Reid will take the sideline for his 20th postseason game as the Chiefs' coach on Saturday.
Kelce has spent the entirety of his 11-year career in Kansas City. The four-time first-team All-Pro didn't surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season for the first time since 2015. However, Kelce was still among the most productive players at his position in 2023, recording 93 catches for 984 yards and five touchdowns.
The nine-time Pro Bowler said that he thinks about retirement "more than anyone could ever imagine" in an interview with The Wall Street Journal's J.R. Moehringer that was published in November.
Kelce admits that injuries have taken a toll on his career: He underwent at least 10 surgeries, with some of the effects of those procedures still lingering.
The 34-year-old missed the Chief's regular-season opener as well as the team's 13-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, sitting out of the latter to rest up for another playoff run.
"I felt I could get some rest. It never felt right (playing to get 16 yards for another 1,000-yard season). With a short week, I put some good work in with the guys," Kelce said, per Taylor.