Overview
- Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said the team hopes Kelce returns and is giving him time to decide after a 6-11 season.
- Returning offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy noted brief conversations with Kelce and Patrick Mahomes and expressed excitement about working with them, which some read as a positive signal.
- Tony Gonzalez said Kelce told him he "really doesn't know" about playing next season, reinforcing that no decision has been made.
- Mahomes is rehabbing a Dec. 14 ACL/LCL tear with a typical nine‑month timeline, making a Week 1 return conceivable but uncertain.
- Kelce, 36, is an unrestricted free agent after posting 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, as PFF’s projection of Kyle Pitts to Tampa Bay underscores potential competition for replacement options.