There may have been more to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s underwhelming Super Bowl 59 performance than just his age.
Kansas City general manager Brett Veach told NFL Network that the 12-year NFL veteran, who finished Super Bowl 59 with four catches on six targets for 39 yards, ‘was battling with a pretty big illness before the Super Bowl.’
The new insight about the tight end’s illness came as part of a longer answer to what the Chiefs are expecting to get from Kelce as he enters his age-36 season – provided he doesn’t retire. Veach also pointed to both Kelce’s past achievements on the field and ‘ability to make those around him better’ as some of the biggest positives the tight end can still provide.
Kansas City’s general manager used the veteran’s outstanding postseason performance last year as evidence that he can continue to play meaningful snaps in the NFL. He also indicated that Kelce’s illness could be an explanation for his more lackluster postseason showing this year, which gives the team reason to believe he can be back to playing at a high-level next year.
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Veach was quick to note that Kelce’s illness wasn’t an excuse for the Chiefs’ poor outing as a whole.
‘Listen, the way the Eagles played, it wouldn’t have made a difference,’ he said.
For now, whether Kelce will be back next year remains to be seen. Veach told NFL Network at the NFL combine that the team is anticipating his return in 2025 while also refuting past reports that the Chiefs had given the tight end a deadline to make a decision.
‘We anticipate Travis being back … and that’s how we’re operating this offseason,’ Veach said.
