Greg Olsen on Travis Kelce returning to Chiefs for 14th season: 'League is better off with him playing'

Travis Kelce will enter year 14 in the NFL when he steps foot on the gridiron with his beloved Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, which a close friend and fellow tight end said is a good thing for the league.

After recent seasons, the question of whether Kelce, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, still wants to play football has come up. Each time, including this offseason, the 11-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro has answered the bell with a resounding yes.

Greg Olsen, whom Kelce works alongside with their Tight End University summit each offseason, spoke to the Chiefs star recently. He told Fox News Digital that he still sees that fire inside Kelce when he talked about strapping the pads on for 2026 – a season in which he will turn 37.

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"I think just getting to know Travis and just how much he loves playing the game and how much he loves to compete and obviously the career that he’s had as far as first-ballot Hall of Famers – he’s as close to a lock as you’ll find – especially considering the tight end position takes some guys a little bit longer even though they’re super deserving. I think the league is great to have him," Olsen said. "I think the Chiefs are smart to want him back.

"I got to spend some time with him a couple weeks ago, and he’s super excited for a fresh season, for the team, for himself."

The Chiefs reached an acceptable deal with Kelce, whose contract was up after this past season. Now that he’s in place for 2026, as well as a reunion with Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, the Chiefs are focused on the health of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who needed ACL surgery after injuring it during a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

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"It’s one of the best tight end-quarterback combinations of all time," Olsen added, acknowledging one of the league’s best duos in recent memory. "So, I’m happy for [Kelce] just as a friend, as a fan of football."

While it may be a nuisance for Kelce to continuously hear about retirement, Olsen also understands that Kelce has had the opportunity not many can say they do during a grueling football career – walking away on your own terms.

Olsen wants that for his friend in the end, whenever that may be.

"I’d love to see him go out when he wants to be done," Olsen explained. "Very few guys are able to earn that right throughout their NFL career to say, ‘You know what? I’m done when I say I’m done.’ That’s not typically how it goes. Very few guys have that swan song, perfect ending, walking off under the confetti and the Super Bowl. That’s a dream scenario everyone hopes will be them.

"But if there is a guy who deserves his career to end the right way because of everything he’s stood for, everything he’s done, how hard he’s worked, the success he’s had, individually and collectively, Trav’s at the top of that list."

Olsen, who serves as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, is excited for the prospect of covering more games featuring Kelce and the Chiefs, as he wants to enjoy the remainder of his career.

And that’s a career defined by three Super Bowl titles, and more than enough accolades to end up with a bronze bust in Canton one day.

"I never thought I’d see a day where people started saying, ‘Is anyone better than Tony Gonzalez?’ Then, Gronk comes along and that conversation. When it’s all said and done, Travis might be at the top of that list, which 10 years ago sounded crazy that anyone would surpass some of those guys. His career is second to none, and the league is better off with him playing," Olsen ended.

INSIDE THE FRONT OFFICE MIND

While Olsen enjoyed 14 years in the NFL, his next chapter of the game is providing keen analysis for FOX Sports broadcasts during the year.

To help him do that in the offseason while looking at the NFL Draft and free agency pickups by each franchise, Olsen has been using NFL IQ, the new interactive hub created by the league and Amazon Web Services powered by Amazon Quick.

Ahead of the draft, NFL IQ transformed raw data from the NFL Combine and team needs, free agency moves made and more for this hub that provides fans access to key insights and puts them in the shoes of front office decision makers. Whether it’s the casual fan or a top analyst like Olsen, NFL IQ is an easy-to-use way to deepen football knowledge, especially at a crucial roster-building time like the draft is.

"This is the most educated fan base in NFL history, and I think that’s a good thing," Olsen said.

"Fans actually have a way to access the exact same data, the exact same information that the teams and everyone are using for their own interest, whether it’s something casual or for people who really want to dive into the nitty gritty.

"I think it’s a really fun set of tools for the wide array of people who touch the NFL space. I know firsthand as a fan, and now a professional in the industry, it’s a huge part of my interaction of the game."

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