Rob Gronkowski has made a bold prediction about the future of fellow tight end Travis Kelce, suggesting the 36-year-old will not hang up his boots but instead seek a move away from Kansas City to pursue another championship.
Speaking on NFL Sunday, Gronkowski declared: “I think he’s going to test the market out there and he has to vie for a championship and the Super Bowl if he comes back.”
The former New England Patriots star does not believe Kelce’s path to glory runs through Arrowhead Stadium any longer.
“I don’t really see that happening with the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s gonna be a rebuild year, kind of,” Gronkowski added.
Kelce has delivered a strong individual campaign despite the Chiefs’ woes, accumulating 839 yards and crossing the try line five times this season.
His contract with Kansas City expires once the current campaign concludes, leading widespread speculation that the three-time Super Bowl champion will call time on his playing days.
Many observers anticipate the veteran will step away from the sport to begin a new chapter with his fiancee Taylor Swift, with next week’s fixture against the Las Vegas Raiders potentially serving as his farewell appearance.
Gronkowski, however, questioned whether Kelce’s passion for the game might outweigh other considerations: “Is his heart in the place of, ‘Hey, what’s the next venture for me?’ or ‘do I really love the game of football, I need to come back?'”
The Chiefs have endured a dismal campaign, failing to secure a playoff berth for the first time in years.
Kansas City faces significant obstacles heading into the next season, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes currently recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Gronkowski acknowledged the franchise retains some capability to compete but emphasised the scale of transformation required.
“They may have the potential to do it,” he noted, whilst maintaining his view that substantial rebuilding lies ahead.
The team’s collapse this term came despite Kelce’s consistent performances, raising questions about whether the veteran would want to endure a transitional period at this stage of his career.
Michael Strahan offered counsel to Kelce should he be contemplating walking away from the sport.
“You never want to live with regret,” Strahan cautioned. “Everybody talks about opportunities (away from the game) and that’s great but at the end of the day he is a football player.
“Get it out of your system. You never want to live with regrets and all this things that come after, that’s supplemental.”
Kelce has previously declared he would never don another NFL jersey besides that of Kansas City.
The tight end has remained tight-lipped about his intentions, stating he will make his decision following the season’s conclusion after consulting with the Chiefs organisation, family and friends.
Kelce considered retirement following February’s Super Bowl defeat to Philadelphia in New Orleans but opted against departing on a losing note.
