All good things must come to an end, and the current Chiefs season is a perfect encapsulation of that. After dominating the AFC West, AFC, and NFL for years, head coach Andy Reid’s team is 6-9 entering its Week 17 game against the 12-3 Broncos (8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video).
Could the same sentiment ring true for TE Travis Kelce? The 36-year-old has seen and done everything at this point in his career. He’s third all-time at his position in catches (1,072) and yards (12,954) while being fifth in TDs (82). His greatness can’t really be questioned.
There’s a shelf life on everyone in the NFL, however, and Father Time is undefeated.
With that in mind, could Christmas Day’s game be Kelce's last in front of the home crowd? Let’s dive into the latest on any retirement speculation, as well as Kelce’s PrizePicks NFL player projections for Week 17’s Thursday Night Football outing.
Is Broncos vs. Chiefs on Christmas Travis Kelce’s Final Home Game?
Now 13 years into his NFL career, Kelce has a lot of miles on his body. The future Hall of Fame man has played in 190 regular-season games already, in addition to another 25 postseason contests. That’s quite a bit of football.
Kelce’s contract also expires at the conclusion of this season. When he signed it in 2024, it set him up nicely for a potential departure in 2026. Now that the big decision is looming, what is Kelce’s stance on hanging up the cleats?
That’s the catch: Kelce won’t reveal it. When asked about retirement prior to Week 16’s loss to the Titans, Kelce said he’d “rather keep the focus of the media” on the Chiefs and keep his contract-related conversations with the team private.
It’s worth wondering whether Kelce has caught his final pass from QB Patrick Mahomes. If so, he went out with a bang by turning back the clock a bit in 2025.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce 2025 Season Breakdown
- Entering Week 17, Kelce has 68 catches. His 803 yards sit third among all TEs.
- The former third-round pick averages 11.8 yards per catch and 8.4 yards per target, both his best marks since 2022.
- After seeing his yards after catch per reception crater to 3.5 in 2024, Kelce responded by turning in a 6.0 mark this year. That’s his best since 2021, and his second-best figure ever.
- According to Next Gen Stats, Kelce has the third-most TE yards after the catch and has +35 YAC over expected.
- Kelce’s 68.71 total EPA trails only Cardinals star Trey McBride at the TE spot, per SumerSports.
- Of TEs with 250+ routes run in 2025, Kelce’s 70.83% catch rate is 16th and his 19.24% target share is 10th.
- Taylor Swift’s fiancée has the third-most receiving yards against man coverage for his position, via Pro Football Focus.
Travis Kelce Projections vs. Broncos on Christmas Day
Here are some of the top Travis Kelce projections for the Chiefs’ Thursday Night Football game against the Broncos, courtesy of PrizePicks.
- 38.5 Receiving Yards
- 5.5 Receiving Targets
- 4 Receptions
- 16.5 Yards on Longest Reception
- 8.5 Fantasy Score
- And More
Make Broncos vs. Chiefs TNF Christmas Picks on PrizePicks
While many eyes may be on Kelce in what could be his final game in Kansas City, there’s plenty else to follow when it comes to NFL action. With that in mind, PrizePicks offers a multitude of Broncos vs. Chiefs projections and picks for other games.
Joining the action is simple. Just pick your players, predict More or Less for their projected stats, and earn real-money rewards if you’re right.
Keep it locked in here with the Playbook for continued NFL picks, predictions, and news.
