Travis Kelce on Physical Condition, Appreciation for Another Season

Travis Kelce is glad to have another year of opportunities with the Chiefs, and he provided an update on how his body is holding up entering Week 1.

Aug 17, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) on field after the game against the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Now over a decade into his NFL career, a lot has been made of how tight end Travis Kelce can continue to fight off Father Time. Especially as the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for yet another grueling season and a push for a title, the future Hall of Fame pass catcher will be tested in every way possible.

Kelce isn't letting any of that get to him, though. Entering year No. 12 with Kansas City, Kelce said to local media this week that he's good to go.

"Physically, I feel just as good, if not more ready than I have been in years past just because you get more comfortable with your body," Kelce said. "You learn things from the mistakes you made in years past and things like that. You just constantly keep getting better and keep getting more aware of where your body's at."

Last season more than ever, Kelce struggled from a physical standpoint. Just weeks before his 34th birthday, he suffered a bone bruise in his knee and had to miss Week 1 of the 2023-24 campaign. Not too far into the season, he later dealt with an ankle sprain and was behind the proverbial eight-ball from that point on.

Once the calendar flipped to January, however, Kelce experienced a renaissance. After resting in Week 18, he came alive in the playoffs and looked like he was in the thick of his prime. Now having even more knowledge of what helped get and keep him in tip-top physical condition, Kelce doesn't believe he's had to change much in terms of preparation.

"You know, we'll just see what challenges occur during the season," Kelce said. "I think I've caught a good routine and good groove of making sure I'm at peak athletic ability to go out there and perform every single week. You just never know the nicks and bumps and bruises that you get throughout the season – you might have to pick up something new along the way."

Kelce's on record saying he wants to play for as long as he can, but his new contract structure could pave the way for a perfect exit plan from football. After all, he has plenty of off-the-field endeavors that yield a considerable income, including his "New Heights" podcast that just saw him and his brother Jason ink a rights deal worth over $100 million. Kelce is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, which makes him appreciate things even more.

"I'm forever fortunate to be able to play as many games as I've played already in this league," Kelce said. "That's why I really enjoy going out there every single day, even if it's just to practice, to really work on my craft because I know not everybody gets that same fortune in their career. I'm ready to rock Week 1, and I'm grateful for it."

Kelce thinks he and the Chiefs are locked in as Thursday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens approaches. It'll be interesting to see how Kansas City manages his reps, as he's seen his workload decrease more and more every year. A lot of that is to the dissatisfaction of Kelce, which isn't going to change this season. When asked whether he's talked to the coaching staff about dialing things back this week, the veteran tight end took a pretty firm stance regarding his snaps.

"No," Kelce said. "And I probably wouldn't listen to them if they did."

Read More: KC Chiefs Injury Report for Baltimore Ravens – Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown Status