Chiefs GM Gave Brutally Honest Quote About Travis Kelce Getting Older

Travis Kelce will turn 36 during this upcoming NFL season. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Travis Kelce will turn 36 during this upcoming NFL season and stats show the Kansas City Chiefs star has lost a step. Last season he posted the lowest numbers of his career as a starter with 823 yards and three touchdowns; he caught 97 passes but averaged only 8.5 yards per reception, the first time he’s ever averaged fewer than 10 yards per catch.

As the old saying goes, Father Time is undefeated. Chiefs GM Brett Veach understands this and gave a brutally honest quote about how Kelce’s game will continue to change as he gets older.

Kelce has earned a reputation for clutch play over the years and his elite ability to find open space in the defense suggests he’ll be able to step up like Veach says despite declining athleticism. He did “find it” as Veach said in the postseason last year against the Houston Texans, when he recorded 117 yards receiving on seven catches and one touchdown. But he was effectively shut down in the AFC championship game and the blowout Super Bowl loss.

The Chiefs will need Kelce in big moments this season. Veach clearly believes he’s ready for the challenge.

More NFL on Sports IllustratedPublished Jul 9, 2025|Modified Jul 9, 2025

LIAM MCKEONE

Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead. In addition to his work as a writer, he has hosted the Press Pass Podcast covering sports media and The Big Stream covering pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University, he is always up for a good debate and enjoys loudly arguing about sports, rap music, books and video games. McKeone has been a member of the National Sports Media Association since 2020.