‘Anywhere from $10 to 20 Million’: Travis Kelce’s next payday talk isn’t coming from the Kansas City Chiefs

Travis Kelce has a new $10-20 million number attached to his name, and it has nothing to do with the Kansas City Chiefs paying him to keep playing football.

The figure came up in a media context. The Athletic’s sports media insider Andrew Marchand discussed Kelce’s potential value in broadcasting if the veteran tight end decides to retire, as questions swirl after Kansas City’s 6-11 finish and missed playoffs in the 2025 season.

Andrew Marchand Says Travis Kelce Could ‘Definitely’ Do TV and Chase a Top Booth Job

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand addressed Kelce’s post-NFL options while talking about possible future analysts and broadcasters. Marchand said Kelce stands out as someone who could move into calling games. “I think Travis Kelce is one who, if he retires, definitely could do TV,” Marchand said. “I think he wants to do games, so that’s one to watch.”

Marchand did not frame it as a “take whatever offer shows up” situation. He framed it as Kelce aiming high, the kind of role networks build a booth around. “He’s a guy who is only going to take a No. 1 job, to me,” Marchand said. “He’s going to get anywhere from $10 to 20 million (per year), because he’s Travis Kelce.”


That is the whole point of the rumor mill here. The $10-20 million chatter is about TV money, not a new Chiefs deal. It is also tied to how Kelce sees himself. Marchand’s read is that Kelce would wait for the top seat, not settle for a smaller gig.

This also fits the reality of Kelce’s moment. He is already one of the league’s most recognizable players. Marchand also connected the visibility piece to Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift.

“Now, uh, he’s getting married to someone (Taylor Swift) that makes him even bigger,” Marchand said. The timing matters, too. In the same reporting arc, the wedding is expected to be in June. That adds another life marker to a decision that already has football and health baked into it.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 Finish Put Travis Kelce’s Future Front and Center

Kelce’s situation got louder after the Chiefs closed the season with a 14-12 Week 18 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Kansas City went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since Kelce’s second season in the NFL (2014), according to the report being circulated.

Kelce is 36. The 2025 season also marked the final year of his contract, per the same report. That combination is why every path feels “live” right now, even if some options still sound unlikely.

Here is what we actually know from the information in front of us:

• Kelce could retire after the 2025 season.
• Kelce could return to the Chiefs and try to run it back.
• Kelce could keep playing, and a team change exists as a technical possibility, even if the idea feels far-fetched.
• Kelce could step into broadcasting, either immediately if he retires or later if he plays again.

Production does not settle the entire debate, but it does matter. Kelce posted 76 catches for 851 yards and five scores in 2025. That is still starter-level output, and it gives Kelce a real argument that he does not need to walk away because his play fell off a cliff.

At the same time, the broader context from the same report matters. Kansas City’s season went sideways, and the piece frames Patrick Mahomes’ health as part of the “bounce back” equation. Even without expanding beyond that, you can see the pressure points. Kelce has to decide whether he wants another year of physical toll and uncertainty, or whether he wants to pivot into a lane where his name alone carries weight.

That is why the Marchand angle lands. It is not just “Kelce can do media.” It is “Kelce can do media at the top of the market,” if he wants the grind of calling games.

If Kelce returns in 2026, broadcasting does not disappear. It just shifts. The opportunity will still be there, and the money talk will not stop. But if he is already looking at a June wedding and a contract decision in the same window, it is easy to see why the booth rumor has traction right now.


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