NEW ORLEANS — Travis Kelce had a forgettable Super Bowl LIX.
The star receiver generated four catches on six targets for 39 yards in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 40-22 blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
The performance will only fuel speculation that it could have been Kelce’s final game after 12 seasons. Despite Kelce suggesting early in the week that he could play for three more years, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday that Kelce hasn’t made up his mind about retiring.
“That we haven’t played that bad all year,” Kelce told reporters at his locker when asked what was the most stunning aspect of the loss.
Kelce was not asked nor did he address his playing future following the game.
Patrick Mahomes, who had his own rough outing on Sunday in defeat, wouldn’t speculate on what his forever-teammate might decide.
“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” Mahomes said. “He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL and been such a joy, not only for me to work with but for people to watch. He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. You can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moments.
“But it’s if he wants to put in that grind ’cause it’s a grind to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl. He’s done enough to be a gold jacket guy and a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but I know he’s still got a love for the game. He’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own. He knows he’ll come back here with welcome arms. We love that guy, not only for the football player but the person that he is every single day.”
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Along with the entire Chiefs offense, Kelce struggled to generate separation from a swarming Eagles secondary.
“Hats off to the Eagles, man,” Kelce said. “They got after us. All three phases.”
Kelce’s struggles in Super Bowl LIX were a continuation of his struggles in the AFC Championship Game, in which he had just two catches for 19 yards against the Bills. Sunday’s issues were a stark performance for a player who had come up massive for the Chiefs in the past. Have the wheels finally fallen off a future Hall of Famer who owns a ship-load of records, or was it simply a poor performance?
Rapoport noted that Kelce’s decision could hinge on the outcome of Sunday’s game.
The decision for the 35-year-old is whether he wants a Super Bowl blowout loss to be his last game or he wants to come back for another grind? That question remains unanswered.