Chiefs’ Travis Kelce reportedly cuts 25 pounds in offseason after career-worst receiving campaign

Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce made some adjustments after the least-productive receiving season of his prolific NFL career. The legendary tight end lost about 25 pounds this offseason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports, after he played the 2024 season at a heavier weight than in years past. The Chiefs listed Kelce last season at 250 pounds, so he could enter his age-36 campaign at a slimmer 225 pounds.

Kelce did not participate in the Chiefs’ OTAs, but the expectation is he will arrive in Kansas City in time for next week’s mandatory minicamp. That is when the reigning Super Bowl runners-up will get their first look at the lighter Kelce, who last year caught 97 passes for career lows in yardage (823) and touchdowns (three).

The 823 yards were Kelce’s fewest since 2014, when he made his NFL debut in earnest after a one-game appearance in 2013. The three touchdowns were fewer than the four he logged in 2016.

While he was significantly less explosive and less of a red-zone weapon, Kelce still accumulated 97 catches on the year, which tied his fourth-most for a single season. The Chiefs did not shy away from him in the passing game, but he was far less efficient with his targets than the NFL had become accustomed to throughout his reign as one of the sport’s most dangerous offensive threats.

The upcoming season marks the final year of Kelce’s contract, which lends itself to speculation that it could be the tight end’s last ride both with the Chiefs and in the NFL. Kelce is set to earn $17.25 million in his final contract year with the majority of that paycheck coming by way of a $12.5 million roster bonus.