The Kansas City Chiefs have tight end Travis Kelce for one more season, and then, after that, all bets are off as to whether he’ll retire. But, at 36 years old, it’s safe to say that Kelce’s days are numbered in the NFL. That’s why he wants to excel this season and end things on a better note than the Chiefs did during the 2025-26 season.
At 36, Kelce is still an elite tight end. He’s one of these legacy players, like Matthew Stafford or Tom Brady, who isn’t letting his age get in the way of his performance. During the 2025-26 season, Kelce played in a whopping 17 games and clocked 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns, according to NFL research.
So, Kelce is still on top, but the latest ranking of NFL tight ends has him falling a bit.
Travis Kelce falls in ESPN tight end rankings
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN released the network’s tight end rankings on Friday, and Kelce made the cut. The bad news for the Chiefs, though, is that he’s lower on the tally. Kelce comes in at No. 10 on the list, falling from No. 5 last season.
“Kelce is far from a burner at age 36, but it’s hard to argue with his production last season,” Fowler notes in the piece. “His 429 yards after the catch ranked third among this year’s tight end candidate pool.”
He adds that Kelce was in “better shape” than he was the previous season, which helps.
“He’s still the ageless wonder at the position,” an NFC personnel evaluator told Fowler. “His elite route savvy, body control and instincts allow him to still compete at a high level, despite him getting up in age.”
Frankly, still being in the top 10 is a win for both Kelce and the Chiefs. There are plenty of teams out there who wish they could have a tight end like Kelce on their roster.
