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Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning said he hopes Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will take his time while deciding on his NFL future and potential retirement.
“I hope he takes some time,” Manning told E! News on the red carpet on the SNL 50 anniversary Sunday (February 16) night.
Manning, 48, warned that Kelce, 35, shouldn't make a life-changing decision so soon after the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Take some time. Take a full month,” he said. “Let some things digest and calm down. He can make a better decision then.”
Manning did, however, say that he wants to see Kelce continue his career.
“I hope he comes back and plays,” he added. “He’s fun to watch, but he’s got to do what’s best for him.”
Kelce signed a two-year, $34.25 million deal with the Chiefs last offseason, which includes an $11.5 million roster bonus due on March 15, according to Over The Cap, while the NFL's free agency period will start on March 10. The three-time Super Bowl champion addressed the "wear and tear" on his body while discussing his potential retirement decision during the latest episode of his New Heights podcast with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, released on Wednesday (February 12), days after the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX blowout loss to the Eagles.
“I know everybody wants to know whether I am playing next year and right now I am just kicking everything down the road. I am kicking every can I can down the road,” Kelce said. “I am not making any crazy decisions but right now, the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches understanding there’s a lot that goes into this thing. I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody.
“The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body.
“It’s a lot of time in the building … That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy. Right now, it was one of those things where it was driving me crazy this year. It happens as you tail off towards the back nine of your career.
Last week, Kelce responded "hopefully still playing football" when asked where he plans to be in three years during Super Bowl Opening Night festivities.
“Hopefully still playing football,” Kelce said via the Associated Press. “I love doing this, I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens. I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”
Kelce recently surpassed the 1,000 career receptions plateau and became the Chiefs' all-time leader in touchdown receptions, but has seen his numbers decline, recording 823 yards and three touchdowns, his lowest single-season totals in both categories since becoming a starter in 2014. The 35-year-old finished Sunday's game with four receptions for 39 yards.