Man, the 2025 season for the Kansas City Chiefs was basically a car crash in slow motion. We are all used to seeing them dominate, but after Patrick Mahomes went down with that brutal ACL tear and the team spiraled to a 6-11 record, the whole “dynasty” vibe feels kind of cooked. For Travis Kelce, who’s been the heartbeat of that offense forever, this coming offseason isn’t just a break-it is a massive crossroads. With his contract officially expiring on March 11, the rumor mill is spinning faster than a Kelce brothers podcast episode. Honestly? All signs are pointing to a very comfy, very expensive chair at the CBS studio desk.
Let’s look at the money first, because it’s honestly ridiculous. By 2026, the Chiefs are facing a salary cap nightmare that would give anyone a headache. Mahomes alone is set to count for over $78 million against the cap. Kelce is still great, but he isn’t exactly playing for peanuts. He’s been making about $17 million a year, and for a team that desperately needs to get younger and find new targets for a recovering Mahomes, paying a 37-year-old tight end that kind of cash is a tough sell. On the flip side, the TV world is ready to back up the truck. Insiders like Andrew Marchand are already talking about an eight-figure payday-somewhere between $10 million and $20 million a year-just for Kelce to talk about football.
Then there is the literal opening at CBS. When Matt Ryan decided to ditch the studio to become the President of Football for the Atlanta Falcons, he left one of the best seats on The NFL Today wide open. And CBS is doing some serious house cleaning. J.J. Watt is reportedly moving from the desk to the broadcast booth to be the No. 2 color commentator for the 2026 season. That leaves a superstar-sized hole in the New York studio. Kelce fits that role like a glove. He is charismatic, he’s funny, and he’s already proved he can handle a camera-even if he jokes about being a “terrible reader” who has to practice his pronunciations in the back room.
But the real “secret sauce” is the cultural power he’s built lately. Ever since he got engaged to a certain global pop icon, his brand has gone into a stratosphere most athletes never even see. CBS knows that having Kelce on screen keeps all those new, non-traditional fans watching the NFL long after he’s done catching passes. It is not just about the game anymore; it’s about “lifestyle” and entertainment. Kelce has actually been prepping for this his whole life. He used to mimic game show hosts as a kid and told his brother Jason that he’d fake being sick just to stay home and watch The Price is Right. So, moving to TV looks less like a retirement and more like a massive promotion.
Speaking of Jason, the success of their New Heights podcast is all the proof you need. They signed a deal with Wondery worth at least $105 million. Travis has already done the Hollywood thing, hosting Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? and even landing a role in a Ryan Murphy show. The guy is literally everywhere. Joining CBS wouldn’t just be a way to stay busy; it would be the start of a media empire. He’s shown he can handle a live crowd, whether it’s hosting SNL or just bringing that “contagious enthusiasm” to a trivia stage.
And don’t forget the “Trainer Trav” side of him. His teammates gave him that nickname because he is obsessed with how the body works. He doesn’t just see a play; he sees the “posterior chains” and “joint stabilizers” like he’s a physical therapist. That kind of deep knowledge is what makes a great analyst. He can explain the “how” and “why” of a play just as well as Tony Romo, but with the personality of a guy you actually want to hang out with.
In the end, 2026 feels like the perfect time to walk away. Between the physical toll of 14 seasons-including nine surgeries-and a $20 million media contract waiting for him, why keep taking hits? Especially when he could be living in NYC, working a few hours on Sundays, and building a career that doesn’t involve waking up with a Charlie horse on his thigh. We’ll have to wait until March to hear it from him, but the writing is on the wall-and it’s probably in the CBS font.
The move is basically inevitable at this point. The chair is ready, and honestly, we are all just waiting for him to grab the microphone. If he can handle a 250-pound linebacker coming at him full speed, a few bright lights in a Manhattan studio shouldn’t be a problem, right? We will see if CBS can close the deal, but it looks like “Chiefs Kingdom” is about to become “CBS Kingdom” very soon.
