How did Taylor Swift factor into Travis Kelce’s NFL return?

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Travis Kelce is ready for another tour of the NFL.

The superstar tight end agreed to a new one-year, $12-million contract to return to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday as NFL free agency kicked off, ending speculation that he could be retiring following a disappointing 2025 season.

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During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Kelce revealed how his fiancee – music superstar Taylor Swift – inspired him to return for a 14th NFL season.

“We share the same love for what we do. Fortunately, we’ve had this desire since we were kids in our selective professions,” Kelce said.

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“It’s amazing to see her keep going to the table, keep finding new things to write about, keep finding new melodies and things like that. And on top of that, still seeing her have that love and joy in what she does and, yeah, of course, that’s motivating.

“That’s motivating for anyone to see, let alone my fiancee, and knowing that I’m going through something where I’m trying to figure out exactly what the future holds for me, something like that definitely motivates me to say, ‘You know what? I’m not done either.’”

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What’s going on with Chiefs?

Kelce posted just 76 receptions last season, his fewest since 2015, and his 50.1 yards per game were a career low. The Chiefs finished the season with a 6-11 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

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Two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes also suffered a season-ending injury during a Week 14 loss to the Chargers, tearing his left ACL and LCL and putting his status for the start to the 2026 season in jeopardy.

However, the 36-year-old Kelce said he still loves playing football and is ready for at least one more season.

“Man, I’m still in love with this game, I still love going to work and putting on the pads, grinding it out and just playing the game,” he told McAfee.

Kelce and Swift announced their engagement last August with the wedding expected to take place on June 13, 2026, at the Ocean House in Watch Hill, R.I.

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