Travis Kelce warns NFL rivals after Patrick Mahomes plays role in new Chiefs contract

Shortly after Travis Kelce put pen to paper, the 34-year-old star tight end shared a warning to the rest of the NFL after becoming the highest-paid tight end in the league

Travis Kelce is back with the Kansas City Chiefs for the next four years. It didn’t take long for the star tight end to reach out to Chiefs fans after signing a new deal.

In a video released shortly after news broke of Kelce’s two-year contract extension, the 34-year-old gave a subtle hint of what he and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes might be attempting to do in the 2024 NFL season. “Back at it again baby,” an energized Kelce said in the brief clip.

“Had to see a little Super Bowl right there man. Feels good to be in KC. I remember coming here 12 years ago man. It’s an honor and a pleasure and I can’t wait to get after it these next two years. But no better [time] than right now, getting fired up for this year. Just got out on the field with the boys, we’re back at it baby! Chiefs forever!”

Kelce’s comments could be taken as a warning to the rest of the NFL that he and Mahomes are going to be unstoppable in their quest to win a third straight championship, a feat that has not been done before in NFL history. The Chiefs currently are back-to-back Super Bowl champions, having defeated the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, with the latter being an overtime triumph.

Upon learning Kelce signed a contract extension that effectively will keep him in Kansas City for the remainder of his career, Mahomes took to X to express his pleasure with his longtime teammate returning to the Chiefs. “I told yall I’ll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy!” Mahomes wrote on his personal X account.

Of note, Kelce’s new deal now makes him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Kelce’s new deal will add two years and $34.25 million to the two remaining years of his last contract.

Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes sent out a message to their NFL rivals after the former’s contract extension ( 
Image:
Photo by Gail Schulman/CBS via Getty Images)
Before Kelce’s deal made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL, Darren Waller held the title for the most expensive tight end in the league. In 2022, Waller signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders before he was traded to the New York Giants around a year later.

Waller’s deal paid him $17 million a year, ahead of Minnesota Vikings star T.J. Hockenson ($16.5 million) and San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle ($15 million) for most in the league. Kittle’s prior contract paid him $14.3 million, which was the fourth-most in the league at the time.

While Kelce’s new deal with the Chiefs symbolizes Kansas City’s commitment to winning another championship, it could also be seen as the franchise’s way of rewarding the 34-year-old for his loyalty to the team. In years past, Kelce often took hometown discounts to help the front office better navigate free agency and which players to sign.

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Kelce taking a pay cut certainly paid off, as the Chiefs have won three Super Bowl titles with him and Mahomes leading the way. Additionally, Kelce’s contraction extension could be seen as the franchise’s way of paying back what he has done in a Chiefs uniform outside of winning championships.

Since being taken in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Kelce has proven every year why he is among the greatest tight ends of all time. From 2016 to 2022, Kelce had seven straight seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards, the most of any tight end in NFL history.

Now that Kelce is locked in for presumably the rest of his career, he and Mahomes will have many more chances to keep winning Super Bowl titles. And their quest for a three-peat begins now, if Kelce’s words are any indication.