NFL: Why Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce could retire

Travis Kelce has considered retirement before, after the Philadelphia Eagles prevented Kansas City from winning a third straight Super Bowl last season.

He took some time to see “if I’m excited or if this is the best decision for me” to return for the final year of his contract and “take all this responsibility.”

A month after his fifth Super Bowl appearance in February, Kelce confirmed he would continue.

But the Chiefs have since looked a shadow of their former self, eliminated from playoff contention with three games remaining in the regular season.

Kelce’s future is one of the question marks hanging over Kansas City as they prepare to rebuild, and his brother Jason was asked during his media gig with ESPN if he had any advice.

“You have to step away from the game a little bit,” the 2018 Super Bowl winner with the Eagles said. “Play these three games, have fun with them, and then let them sink in. They will get to you over time.”

But the first of those games at Tennessee on Sunday wasn’t much fun. After Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending injury the week before, his backup Gardner Minshew was also injured, so the Chiefs finished the game with third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun.

The Titans won 26-9 for their third win of the season and Kelce had just one reception for six yards as Kansas City fell to a 6-9 record. Even if they win their final two games, it would be Andy Reid’s worst record in 13 seasons as their head coach.