Greg Olsen on Travis Kelce returning to Chiefs for 14th season: 'League is better off with him playing'

Travis Kelce will participate twelvemonth 14 successful nan NFL erstwhile he steps ft connected nan gridiron pinch his beloved Kansas City Chiefs successful Week 1, which a adjacent friend and chap tight extremity said is simply a bully point for nan league.

After caller seasons, the mobility of whether Kelce, a early Pro Football Hall of Famer, still wants to play shot has travel up. Each time, including this offseason, nan 11-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro has answered nan doorbell pinch a resounding yes.

Greg Olsen, whom Kelce useful alongside pinch their Tight End University acme each offseason, said to nan Chiefs prima recently. He told Fox News Digital that he still sees that occurrence wrong Kelce erstwhile he talked astir strapping nan pads connected for 2026 – a play successful which he will move 37.

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Travis Kelce (87) of nan Kansas City looks connected during an NFL Football crippled against nan San Francisco 49ers astatine Levi's Stadium connected Oct. 20, 2024 successful Santa Clara, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

"I deliberation conscionable getting to cognize Travis and conscionable really overmuch he loves playing nan crippled and really overmuch he loves to compete and evidently nan profession that he’s had arsenic acold arsenic first-ballot Hall of Famers – he’s arsenic adjacent to a fastener arsenic you’ll find – particularly considering nan tight extremity position takes immoderate guys a small spot longer moreover though they’re ace deserving. I deliberation nan convention is awesome to person him," Olsen said. "I deliberation nan Chiefs are smart to want him back.

"I sewage to walk immoderate clip pinch him a mates weeks ago, and he’s ace excited for a caller season, for nan team, for himself."

The Chiefs reached an acceptable woody pinch Kelce, whose statement was up aft this past season. Now that he’s successful spot for 2026, arsenic good arsenic a reunion pinch Eric Bieniemy arsenic violative coordinator, nan Chiefs are focused connected nan wellness of backmost Patrick Mahomes, who needed ACL room aft injuring it during a nonaccomplishment to nan Los Angeles Chargers.

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"It’s 1 of nan champion tight end-quarterback combinations of each time," Olsen added, acknowledging 1 of nan league’s champion duos successful caller memory. "So, I’m happy for [Kelce] conscionable arsenic a friend, arsenic a instrumentality of football."

While it whitethorn beryllium a nuisance for Kelce to continuously perceive astir retirement, Olsen besides understands that Kelce has had nan opportunity not galore tin opportunity they do during a grueling shot profession – stepping distant connected your ain terms.

Olsen wants that for his friend successful nan end, whenever that whitethorn be.

"I’d emotion to spot him spell retired erstwhile he wants to beryllium done," Olsen explained. "Very fewer guys are capable to gain that correct passim their NFL profession to say, ‘You cognize what? I’m done erstwhile I opportunity I’m done.’ That’s not typically really it goes. Very fewer guys person that swan song, cleanable ending, stepping disconnected nether nan confetti and nan Super Bowl. That’s a dream script everyone hopes will beryllium them.

Kansas City Chiefs tight extremity Travis Kelce (87) greets fans arsenic he arrives anterior to training campy astatine Missouri Western State University connected July 28, 2023 successful St. Joseph, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)

"But if location is simply a feline who deserves his profession to extremity nan correct measurement because of everything he’s stood for, everything he’s done, really difficult he’s worked, nan occurrence he’s had, individually and collectively, Trav’s astatine nan apical of that list."

Olsen, who serves arsenic an NFL expert for Fox Sports, is excited for nan imaginable of covering much games featuring Kelce and nan Chiefs, arsenic he wants to bask nan remainder of his career.

And that’s a profession defined by 3 Super Bowl titles, and much than capable accolades to extremity up pinch a bronze bust successful Canton 1 day.

"I ne'er thought I’d spot a time wherever group started saying, ‘Is anyone amended than Tony Gonzalez?’ Then, Gronk comes on and that conversation. When it’s each said and done, Travis mightiness beryllium astatine nan apical of that list, which 10 years agone sounded crazy that anyone would surpass immoderate of those guys. His profession is 2nd to none, and nan convention is amended disconnected pinch him playing," Olsen ended.

Broadcaster Greg Olsen looks connected earlier nan crippled betwixt nan Seattle Seahawks and nan San Francisco 49ers astatine Lumen Field successful Seattle, Washington, connected Sept. 7, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

INSIDE THE FRONT OFFICE MIND

While Olsen enjoyed 14 years successful nan NFL, his adjacent section of nan crippled is providing keen study for FOX Sports broadcasts during nan year.

To thief him do that successful nan offseason while looking astatine nan NFL Draft and free agency pickups by each franchise, Olsen has been utilizing NFL IQ, nan caller interactive hub created by nan convention and Amazon Web Services powered by Amazon Quick.

Ahead of nan draft, NFL IQ transformed earthy information from nan NFL Combine and squad needs, free agency moves made and much for this hub that provides fans entree to cardinal insights and puts them successful nan shoes of beforehand agency determination makers. Whether it’s nan casual instrumentality aliases a apical expert for illustration Olsen, NFL IQ is an easy-to-use measurement to deepen shot knowledge, particularly astatine a important roster-building clip for illustration nan draught is.

"This is nan astir knowledgeable instrumentality guidelines successful NFL history, and I deliberation that’s a bully thing," Olsen said.

General changeable of NFL IQ, nan caller interactive hub from nan convention and Amazon Web Services, powered by Amazon Quick. (NFL IQ)

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"Fans really person a measurement to entree nan nonstop aforesaid data, nan nonstop aforesaid accusation that nan teams and everyone are utilizing for their ain interest, whether it’s thing casual aliases for group who really want to dive into nan nitty gritty.

"I deliberation it’s a really nosy group of devices for nan wide array of group who touch nan NFL space. I cognize firsthand arsenic a fan, and now a master successful nan industry, it’s a immense portion of my relationship of nan game."

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