Chiefs GM drops scary revelation on Travis Kelce's health during Super Bowl LIX loss to Eagles

Travis Kelce was, for all intents, and purposes, invisible during the Kansas City Chiefs' embarrassing 22-40 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX, catching just four passes for a measly 39 yards. But if general manager Brett Veach is to be believed, he was physically not in a position to be dominant during the game.

Speaking to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero during Draft Combine week on Tuesday, he said (quote begins at 2:44 in the video below):

"We're never going to make excuses and talk about it, but, I mean, he was battling with pretty big illness there for the Super Bowl."

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Travis Kelce expected to play 13th season, says Brett Veach

Much has been said about whether Travis Kelce will play for the Chiefs in 2025 - which will represent his thirteenth in the NFL. But when addressing the press, Brett Veach all but confirmed that it would be happening - irrespective of the March deadline that was reportedly put on him:

“He has one more year under contract and still think he has that fire and desire to play. As far as I’m concerned, there is no deadline. I think we left it at he’d be back and we’re excited to get him back and get him going.”

That was after head coach Andy Reid had insisted that it would be the tight end's decision once he was fully rested:

"That’s kind of my motto for these guys. They’ve played a lot of games... So you get to the end of the [season], you’ve exhausted yourself mentally and physically — step back and take care of that, then we’ll talk. But for right now, I know that’s what he’s doing.”

One idea that has been floated by The Athletic's Nate Taylor is him, at the very least, taking on a reduced role for the first time in his career - acting as a situational target and mentor to the team's young core of tight ends like Noah Gray and Jared Wiley.

Travis Kelce is set to earn $4.5 million in base salary in 2025, plus two bonuses: a $250,000 workout bonus and a $12.5-million roster bonus that will be sent in two parts: $11.5 million on March 14, then the remaining $1 million on the fifth day of training camp.