Travis Kelce drops another retirement hint as Chiefs star reflects on Sunday's game in native Cleveland

Has Travis Kelce played his final NFL game in Cleveland?

The Cleveland Heights native discussed Sunday’s win over the Browns, which marked only the second time in his career he’s been able to play along the Lake Erie shore.

‘It felt so surreal,’ Travis told older brother Jason on their podcast, New Heights. ‘I don’t know if it’s the last time I’ll play in Cleveland but it kinda felt like I was giving it one last hoorah before I’m done because I’ve only played there twice in 12 years … It was a special day for me personally.’

Retirement rumors have been circling the 35-year-old Kelce since he began dating pop star Taylor Swift and getting involved in a number of entertainment opportunities.

But while he did speculate about the end of his career, that decision may not be imminent.

Yes, he acknowledged Sunday could have been his final game in Cleveland, but the Chiefs and Browns are not division rivals, and therefore do not typically play each other every season. The two teams are unlikely to square off until 2027, and when they do, it will probably be played in Kansas City.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Swift was not on hand on Sunday in Cleveland, where the Chiefs pulled out a 21-7 win despite an ankle injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kelce finished the game with four catches on eight targets for 27 yards.

Taylor has been at several Chiefs games in Kansas City the past two seasons since she began dating Kelce.

She did, however, make an appearance at a Kansas City children’s hospital, shocking parents and patients alike as she laughed with them, posed for photos and exchanged gifts.

All parent Cassie Thomas was told beforehand was that she might want to brush her hair and teeth because there was going to be a special visitor. But she was stunned when Swift, fresh off her Eras Tour and one day before her 35th birthday, walked into her son’s room on Thursday at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

‘No rumors. Like, we literally had absolutely no idea this was happening,’ Thomas recalled.

Her 13-year-old son, Beckett Thomas, is a cancer patient and a fan of Swift’s boyfriend. Beckett uses a 3D printer to make earrings bearing his and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ names, walking around the hospital unit selling them to nurses.

Now, Swift has a pair as well.

‘She was amazing,’ Beckett’s mom said last week. ‘So down to earth.’

In this image provided by Cassie Thomas, Beckett Thomas, 13, who is a patient at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, poses with Taylor Swift on Thursday, December 12, 2024

Another patient told Swift that her favorite song was ‘Love Story’ and they later discussed the song ‘Paper Rings,’ in which Swift sings, ‘I’d marry you with paper rings.’ When their conversation veered to discussion of San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, whose team played the Chiefs in the Super Bowl earlier this year, Swift expressed surprise.

‘Brock Purdy, What? I mean, I don’t mind Brock Purdy.’ Swift said, then continued: ‘He put me through a lot last February.’

Asked before the Super Bowl whether he was prepared to disappoint Swift, Purdy responded: ‘Yes.’

The game ended with Mahomes rallying the Chiefs to their second straight Super Bowl title, 25-22 over the 49ers in overtime.

‘I was very stressed for a second but it all ended up fine,’ Swift told the girl, their recorded conversation posted online.

The girl then chimed in: ‘I like Travis now.’ Swift responded with: ‘Me too. That’s an absolute yes on that one.’