The Chiefs’ front office knows Travis Kelce is chasing Father Time.
With the 35-year-old tight end preparing for his 13th season in the league after a statistically down year — 823 yards in 2024 compared to 984 in 2023, among other notable drops — Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told ESPN that even though Kelce is on the back nine, he still flashes when it matters most.
“We’ve all seen it over the last few years,” Veach said. “There are periods throughout the season where you’re like, ‘This might be it.’ But when the games are the most important and the lights are the brightest, he finds it somewhere.”
Kelce, embracing an even brighter glare of the spotlight in the wake of his relationship with Taylor Swift, was at the center of retirement chatter earlier this year after a quiet offensive season (three touchdowns versus five in 2023).
His 823 yards marked his career-low for a full season.
Then came Super Bowl 2025, when the defending champion Chiefs flopped on the biggest stage in a 40-22 loss to the Eagles.
The Pro Bowl tight end tallied four receptions for 39 yards.
Kelce put retirement rumors to bed a short time after and has been working out in Florida this offseason — with the support of Swift, 35.
“The great ones know how to find it,” Veach added of Kelce. “They know where it’s buried, and they know how to access it. And they can’t access it at that age week in and week out, but when they need it, they know how to find it.”
Veach previously told The Post at the 2025 NFL Combine that Kelce ended the season “fired up,” and the Chiefs believe he still “has that fire and desire to play.”
Kelce still has one year left on his contract as the Chiefs look to build out their offense, which has dipped in production.
Kansas City averaged 22.7 points per game last season (12th-best) and 23.1 points in 2023 (14th-best), a drop from 29.2 in 2022 (best in the NFL) and 29.4 in 2021 (fourth-best).
The Chiefs face the rival Chargers in Brazil in Week 1.
