Travis Kelce, 37, faces ongoing retirement speculation as he plays through his 14th NFL season. Similar rumors swirled before he signed a new contract extension in March, but he chose to return to the Kansas City Chiefs. The buzz has only intensified weeks after his high-profile summer wedding to 14-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift.
Now, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio expects this year to be the tight end’s final season on the field. Florio predicts that Kelce’s next step will be inside a broadcast booth, forecasting a three-network bidding war for his services the moment he officially retires.
Mike Florio predicts ESPN, CBS, Amazon bidding war for Travis Kelce
Florio made the prediction on Friday’s episode of the Pardon My Take podcast. He stated that CBS, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video could compete for Kelce next offseason. The comments came a day after Troy Aikman hinted he might leave ESPN when his contract expires after Super Bowl LXI in February. Florio predicted Kelce will replace Aikman to join Joe Buck in the Monday Night Football booth.
Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video recently signed an extension with Kirk Herbstreit, but the deal includes a unique clause allowing Amazon to terminate the contract early if they find a premium option.
Kelce and Greg Olsen previously asked Amazon if the lead Thursday Night Football slot would become available, and Amazon already holds a strong business relationship with Kelce through his New Heights podcast and Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? game show.
Moreover, CBS is actively searching for a high-profile, long-term anchor to refresh its premier Sunday broadcast slots, making the network a major player willing to spend aggressively to leverage Kelce’s massive crossover appeal with advertisers.
So, Florio claimed, “There could be a three-way bidding war for Travis Kelce, and I think they’re all going to want him, and I think he’s going to be in a booth somewhere next year.”
https://x.com/PardonMyTake/status/2111163427872014381
Kelce has openly discussed his interest in broadcasting, revealing his career goals on his New Heights podcast. “I want to broadcast when I’m done playing,” Kelce said. “I want to be the talking head that calls the games.”
On the field, Kelce has caught 16 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns through four games, averaging 15.4 yards per reception. The Chiefs hold a 4-0 record and face the Los Angeles Chargers next.
More NFL News:
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- Rookie’s Late-Game Contact With Referee Draws Attention After No Flag in Bills-Rams
- NFL Insider Fires Warning Shot at Stephen A. Smith Over Cowboys’ NFC Chances
The post ‘They’re All Gonna Want Him’: Travis Kelce Faces Unprecedented Demand for Brand New Role Next Year appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.