Peyton Manning shares advice for Chiefs' Travis Kelce, who is contemplating retirement

Pete Grathoff, The Kansas City Star on Feb 19, 2025

Published in Football

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two days after the Chiefs’ dream of becoming the first three-peat Super Bowl champion were smashed by the Eagles, tight end Travis Kelce talked about his future plans on his New Heights podcast.

Kelce said he wouldn’t decide rashly on whether to retire or play in 2025, but he added that a return to the Chiefs had to be a “wholehearted decision.”

Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning was asked about Kelce ahead of the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary show.

“I hope he takes some time and doesn’t make a rushed decision,” said Manning who played for the Colts and Broncos. “It’s emotional coming off that Super Bowl, and so the last thing you want to do is just say, ‘OK, I’m going to make a decision now.’ Take some time, take a full month. Let some things digest and calm down. He can make a better decision then. Look, I hope he comes back and plays. He’s fun to watch. He’s got to do what’s best for him.”

Manning also was asked about Kelce’s brother, Jason. Philadelphia fans were not happy that Jason, who played 13 seasons for the Eagles, dared to show support for Travis as well as Philadelphia.

But Manning, whose brother Eli won two Super Bowl titles with the Giants, praised Jason Kelce.

“I went to both of Eli’s Super Bowls, and he wasn’t playing one of my former teams, so it was easy to pull for him and the Giants. Jason was in a tough spot,” Manning said. “I mean, look, certainly, he’s going to pull for his brother. I think blood is always going to be thicker than the colors of your team. So I thought he handed it well.”