NOTE: NFL Media reported later Monday morning that Kelce is expected to return to the Chiefs. The original story, published before that report, is below in its original form.
Prominent NFL reporter Mike Florio suggested that the New York Giants could be a fit for Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce — and, by extension, Taylor Swift.
Barring a contract extension in the coming days, the 36-year-old Kelce is slated to officially hit unrestricted free agency on Wednesday. That would allow Kelce, who has played his entire career with the Chiefs, to potentially sign with any of the NFL’s other 31 teams.
Although Kelce has not publicly committed to playing next season, he also has not recently hinted that he is strongly considering retirement. There have been conflicting reports about whether Kelce will hit free agency, with the Associated Press reporting on Sunday night that the veteran tight end would return to Kansas City if he opts to play next season.
Florio, the founder of ProFootballTalk and a longtime NBC Sports reporter, pointed out that former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy now holds the same position with the Giants.
Reported this at the combine: Travis Kelce is scheduled to become a free agent next month. A person with knowledge of Kelce’s thinking told The Associated Press the four-time All-Pro tight end will not test the market. If the 36-year-old Kelce returns for a 14th season, it’ll be…
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) March 9, 2026
“Although Kelce’s post-football career hardly needs a New York City bump, it couldn’t hurt to finish up in the nation’s top market with a team that is trying to build something positive,” Florio wrote on Sunday.
Florio also suggested the Cleveland Browns as a possible fit for the 36-year-old Kelce, who is from Westlake, Ohio, over 15 miles west of Cleveland. Kelce also played college football at Cincinnati. However, the Browns are only 8-26 over the last two seasons and lack an established franchise quarterback. The Giants are 13-38 since the start of 2023.
In a separate story on Sunday night, Florio noted that Swift’s presence could appeal to teams interested in Kelce. Not only would Swift likely attend at least one home game, but her fans would presumably buy Kelce’s new jersey.
Swift has not publicly commented on Kelce’s football future. The two announced their engagement last August.
Kelce’s 84th TD is the MOST in Chiefs history ‼️
KCvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/6dRJeqzUfx
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2025
Although the Chiefs are coming off their worst season in over a decade, Kelce remained a reliable contributor for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kelce finished the year with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns, though the Chiefs finished 6–11 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2014. Mahomes suffered a season-ending knee injury in December, and it remains unclear whether he will be ready when the 2026 season starts next September.
Given his age and off-field commitments, it is not unrealistic to suggest that Kelce would sign a one-year contract.
Kelce enters the 2026 season with 1,080 catches, 13,002 yards, and 82 touchdowns in 13 seasons. He is the Chiefs’ all-time leader in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Kelce is also a three-time Super Bowl champion and a four-time first-team All-Pro.
Kelce is a likely lock for first-year induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he is eligible.
