Chiefs make Travis Kelce NFL's highest-paid tight end with restructured contract

Editor's Note: NFL reporter Tom Pelissero reported the original terms of the deal but has now issued a correction in his original post. As it turns out, Kelce is still under contract for the same amount of time as before—through 2025.

In case anyone was wondering whether or not Travis Kelce was coming close to hanging up his cleats, the Kansas City Chiefs provided the good news to Chiefs Kingdom that he's at least sticking around to keep this dynasty moving forward for the foreseeable future.

Both sides have agreed on a new two-year contract extension which will make Kelce the highest-paid tight end in the business, per NFL reporter Ian Rapoport. Terms of the deal add two more years for just over $34 million, giving him the highest average annual value of all TEs in the league—just north of Darren Waller's previous mark.

Kelce had a message for fans shortly after signing his new deal.

Brett Veach added his own comments following the signing, calling this a "special day and moment in this organization".

Kelce signed a four-year extension with the team back in 2020 for just over $57 million with a year left on his previous deal. Since then, others have eclipsed Kelce's financial marks despite the fact that the Chiefs tight end reigns supreme as the best in the game. The new extension will run through the '28 campaign.

The 2023 season was the first year in which Kelce failed to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the first time in nine seasons—a mark that stands as an NFL record for tight ends by five years over the next closest competitor. For those who wondered whether he was slowing down, however, Kelce came alive in the postseason with 355 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns during the team's Super Bowl run.

Kelce originally joined the Chiefs in the spring of 2013 as the third-round pick of general manager John Dorsey. He missed his entire rookie campaign with a knee injury only to bounce back and become a centerpiece of the Chiefs offense with Alex Smith under center, earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2015. Kelce has never missed a Pro Bowl since.

The last year has featured more offseason endeavors, including myriad business and entertainment opportunities for Kelce, not to mention his newfound level of celebrity while dating performing artist Taylor Swift. However, the new deal silences any doubts about his drive to keep playing football and should keep the Chiefs' offense moving as dangerous as ever through the 2027 season.