Travis Kelce is returning to the Kansas City Chiefs despite all the retirement talk. But will the 36-year-old be as effective as he was? Well, he led the Chiefs with 851 receiving yards and tied for the team lead with five touchdown receptions in 2025, but couldn’t help Andy Reid and co get to the playoffs. It was probably the biggest disappointment of the season.
Kelce will turn 37 this season and is entering his 14th NFL season. Assuming, he will get a short-term deal with the Chiefs, analysts believe that the team might be looking for a replacement.
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Over more than a decade in Kansas City, Kelce has established himself as one of the most productive tight ends in league history. He has accumulated 13,002 receiving yards and 82 touchdowns, numbers that make him a near lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Chiefs linked to Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers
With Kelce approaching the end of his career, mock draft projections have begun linking Kansas City to potential successors at the tight end position. According to Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports, the Chiefs could address the position early in the 2026 NFL Draft, predicting the team will select Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers in the second round.
Stowers has emerged as one of the most highly regarded tight ends in this year’s draft class after building an impressive résumé with the Commodores.
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During his college career, he totaled 1,773 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, earning first-team All-SEC honors and third-team All-American recognition.
Several ESPN draft analysts currently rank Stowers as the second-best tight end prospect in the class, trailing only Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq.
Life after Kelce
If Kansas City ultimately selects Stowers, the move would likely signal the beginning of the team’s transition at a position that has been central to its offensive success for years.
Kelce has served as the focal point of the Chiefs’ passing attack throughout the Patrick Mahomes era. His ability to create mismatches and deliver consistent production has made him one of the most valuable weapons in the offense.
Drafting a young tight end like Stowers would give the organization an opportunity to develop a potential replacement while Kelce finishes out the final stage of his career.
The strategy would allow Kansas City to maintain stability at a position that has been crucial to its offensive identity.
Next era
For now, Kelce’s decision to return ensures the Chiefs will have their veteran star for at least one more season.
However, the organization appears to be thinking ahead as it prepares for the future.
The 2026 NFL Draft, which begins April 23 in Pittsburgh, could represent an important moment for Kansas City as it looks to identify the next tight end capable of continuing the legacy Kelce built over the past decade.
