At a Glance
- Eli Manning tells Travis Kelce only he can decide on retirement
- Manning: veterans must work “twice as hard to get half the results”
- Chiefs tight end has podcast, steakhouse and endorsements as post-NFL options
- Why it matters: Kelce’s choice could reshape Kansas City’s offense and his legacy
Eli Manning knows the ache that precedes the final snap. Speaking to News Of Los Angeles tied to the release of his 2026 Batch Knob’s Creek bourbon, the retired quarterback offered unfiltered guidance to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, whose playing future hangs in limbo.
The Brutal Math of Aging in the NFL
Manning laid out the equation every veteran confronts.
> “That’s his decision, that only he can make, and only he knows what his desire and commitment towards it is,” Manning told News Of Los Angeles. “It’s one of those deals as you get older, it’s not like you can do less and get the same result. You gotta work twice as hard to get half the results-the injuries, the buildup, you’re getting slower, the fast-twitch motions.”
Kelce, 35, has not declared his intentions since Kansas City’s season ended. Rumors swirl, yet no timeline has been set.
Manning’s Personal Exit Blueprint
The two-time Super Bowl MVP recalled the morning he surrendered his cleats.
> “I kinda woke up one day and I just said, ‘Yep, it’s time. It’s time to be done. It’s just too hard, it’s not worth the effort, and it’s just too much of a grind. It’s just gotten too difficult to play at this level that I want and expect to play at,'” he said.
Manning retired in January 2020 after 16 seasons with the New York Giants. Originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2004, he forced a trade and delivered two Lombardi trophies, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times.
Off-Field Portfolio Awaits
Manning believes Kelce’s off-field ventures can soften the transition.
- New Heights podcast with brother Jason Kelce
- 1587 Prime Steakhouse in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes
- Multiple endorsement deals and brand investments
> “He’s got other opportunities, he’s got other things that he can stay busy with,” Manning noted. “Be a part of the game and not getting hit, not doing all those things that are the requirements to play at the level he wants to play.”
Kelce’s Own Words
Following the Chiefs’ final home game on January 4, Kelce acknowledged the crossroads.
> “I’ve got so much love for this team, this organization and the people here, so I’ll spend some time with them, go through exit meetings tomorrow and get close to the family and figure things out,” he told reporters.
He added: “Who knows? Either it hits me quick or I gotta take some time.”
The Coming Weeks
Manning predicts Kelce’s internal verdict will crystallize soon.
> “I think as he thinks over these next few weeks or months, he’ll kind of know like, ‘Hey, am I itching to get back there and start grinding and start training and start doing everything I need to do or am I ready for this next chapter?'”
Until then, Chiefs Kingdom waits, bourbon in hand, for the tight end who redefined the position to choose his next play.
