Travis Kelce: Kansas City Chiefs star dismisses retirement talk ahead of Super Bowl LVIII

Travis Kelce has no plans to stop taking part in within the NFL anytime quickly as he prepares to go for Tremendous Bowl glory once more with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.

With Kelce’s brother, 36-year-old middle Jason Kelce, pondering retirement from the Philadelphia Eagles, the hearsay mill has swirled round Travis’ future, too.

Nonetheless, the Chiefs tight finish made it clear throughout Monday’s Tremendous Bowl Opening Night time that Tremendous Bowl LVIII towards the San Francisco 49ers won’t be his remaining recreation.

​​​​​​​”I really like coming into the constructing and taking part in this recreation greater than anyone and I do know I will miss it when it is over with,” Kelce mentioned. “I can not put a timestamp on it, however I do know I will get pleasure from each single little bit of this one.

Kelce has loads of accomplishments he needs so as to add to his spectacular postseason legacy.

He grew to become the all-time chief in playoff receptions through the Chiefs’ AFC Championship Recreation victory over the Baltimore Ravens final month. His 11 catches raised his output to 156, 5 greater than the 49ers’ iconic large receiver Jerry Rice amassed.

Kelce ranks second in postseason receiving yardage (1,810) and landing catches (19). Rice is the chief in each these classes with 2,245 and 22, respectively.

Kelce, a nine-time Professional Bowl choose, is seen as one of many NFL’s all-time nice tight ends. He’s on an inventory which incorporates names from totally different eras akin to John Mackey, Kellen Winslow, Shannon Sharpe, Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Rob Gronkowski.

Nonetheless, he’s extra obsessed about successful a 3rd Tremendous Bowl ring, having received one towards the 49ers to conclude the 2019 season and one other final 12 months towards the Philadelphia Eagles. But the one he didn’t win nonetheless hurts.

“I have been on a mission ever since I received my first Tremendous Bowl,” Kelce mentioned. “We made it again to the Tremendous Bowl [to end the 2020 season] and we misplaced to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That is motivated me to get again thus far proper right here.

“You may hear me say this so much – I need this yet another than I’ve ever needed a Tremendous Bowl earlier than in my life, and it is due to the kind of group we now have.

“But additionally due to that tier of group as a result of the groups which have carried out it [three times] have gone down in historical past as a few of the greats.”

Kelce caught landing passes within the Tremendous Bowl wins over the Chiefs and Eagles. He had 10 catches for 133 yards within the loss to the Buccaneers.

San Francisco is predicted to have Fred Warner, thought-about one of many elite protection linebackers within the recreation, defend Kelce the majority of the time. Warner intercepted a move from Mahomes when the groups met in Tremendous Bowl LIV.

Naturally, Kelce was bombarded with questions Monday evening about his romance with singer Taylor Swift.

Swift has concert events scheduled from Wednesday to Saturday in Tokyo so she won’t be a part of Tremendous Bowl week hype. She is predicted to return from Japan in time to attend the Sunday evening recreation.

Kelce maintained that the connection with Swift doesn’t immediate elevated expectations.

“You may’t put any extra stress on me than I placed on myself, I can promise you that,” Kelce mentioned. “The center of a competitor.

“She’s undoubtedly introduced loads of new faces to the sport, and it has been enjoyable to expertise that.

“She appears to be having fun with the video games and she or he’s part of Chiefs Kingdom proper now. It is enjoyable seeing her benefit from the recreation of soccer understanding that it is type of new to her life.”

Goodell hails ‘Taylor Swift impact’ on NFL

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has attended two Taylor Swift concert events together with his two daughters and his spouse, however likelihood is, he by no means thought his standing as a ‘Swiftie’ would bleed over into the office.

Swift has taken the NFL world by storm attributable to her relationship with Kelce, and Goodell had nothing however good issues to say on Monday concerning the couple’s influence on soccer.

“Having the Taylor Swift impact’ can be a optimistic,” Goodell mentioned. “Each Travis and Taylor are great younger individuals, they usually appear very pleased. She is aware of nice leisure, and I feel that is why she loves NFL soccer.

“Clearly, it creates a buzz. It creates one other group of younger followers, notably younger ladies, which might be keen on seeing why she goes to this recreation, why she is on this recreation. In addition to [her relationship with] Travis, she is a soccer fan, and I feel that is nice for us.”

Kansas Metropolis beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 within the AFC Championship Recreation on January 28, main some followers to imagine that the end result was pre-planned so as to have the 14-time Grammy Award winner draw extra viewers for the Tremendous Bowl.

Nonetheless, Goodell made it clear that he’s removed from able to cooking up such a storyline.

“I do not suppose I am that good of a scripter – or anyone on our employees,” Goodell mentioned. “Hear, there is no such thing as a means I might have scripted that one, let’s put it that means.”

Watch Tremendous Bowl LVIII – the 49ers towards the Chiefs – reside on Sky Sports activities NFL on Sunday February 11. The sport begins at 11.30pm. Stream the Tremendous Bowl and much extra nice sport with NOW.

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