NFLTravis Kelce Reveals the Role Andy Reid Played in His Retirement Decision Andy Reid’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is more than that of just a head coach.

NFLTravis Kelce Reveals the Role Andy Reid Played in His Retirement Decision
Andy Reid’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is more than that of just a head coach.

Reid is a friend, a father figure, a mentor, and someone that Kelce just hates letting down. And Kelce is someone Reid has come to depend on most in tough situations.

“The relationship between [Kelce] and Andy Reid is special,” former Chiefs QB Chase Daniel recently said. “I think Andy would struggle, personally, a little bit if Travis wasn’t on the team, just because when they need a play call, and Andy’s like, ‘I don’t know what to do,’ he’s going to the Kelce section of his play-call sheet.”

So when Kelce had to make arguably the biggest decision of his career — whether or not he wanted to retire — he took into account how it would affect Reid as well as himself, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who have watched the Chiefs at any point over the last 12 years.

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid celebrate after beating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in 2023.

“Coach Reid has been one of the biggest influences on my life, not just in the game of football,” Kelce said on Wednesday’s episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “I don’t want to stop going to work with him. I don’t want to stop learning from him.

“I don’t want to stop being the reason why he has success or being part of the reason he has success. I want that guy to have the most success in the world because of who he’s been in my life.”

Kelce and Reid have had great success with one another, winning nine division championships and three Super Bowls while appearing in seven straight AFC Championship games and five Super Bowls together.