Travis Kelce might have missed his best retirement chance, Mike Florio warns

Travis Kelce's plans for the future were arguably the biggest story immediately following the Philadelphia Eagles' triumph at the 2025 Super Bowl. While the Chiefs gave Kelce until March to decide, the tight end didn't need that long.

It is now clear that he will be back for at least one more ride. However, the move could be a mistake, according to an NFL analyst. On Friday's edition of "Pro Football Talk," Mike Florio warned Kelce about the dangers of returning.

"You can't engineer your exit, and there's a chance that next year's exit is going to be worse, not better, not many guys get to say 'I went out with a Super Bowl game,'" Florio said. "Even fewer get to say 'I went out with a Super Bowl loss.' There's a good chance that Travis Kelce is going to exit after this year with something far less than a Super Bowl loss."

Not everyone gets to walk into the sunset like Peyton Manning did. Kelce had shots after winning the Super Bowl the two previous years, but he let it ride. Now almost like a blackjack gambler who played one hand too many, the TE had anted up.

Exploring potential Travis Kelce's retirement scenarios

Kelce at Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles - Source: Getty

Travis Kelce is expected to be back in red this fall. However, there is no law forcing him to play. If he gets cold feet or walks onto the practice field in July and doesn't like the vibe, he could walk away. Kelce could also change his mind at any point before then or during the season.

It would be a plot twist, but it's not exactly illegal. The Kansas City Chiefs star could stick around until his contract expires at the end of 2025 and walk away no matter what happens as well.

If Kelce fails to win the Super Bowl and wants to give it another go in 2026, he might be caught in a cycle that only ends once his job prospects dry up entirely. Will Patrick Mahomes be throwing to Kelce in 2026?