It has been a season to forget in Kansas City—the team has been eliminated from the playoffs and guaranteed its first losing season under Andy Reid—and it sounds like we might be witnessing the final days of Travis Kelce’s Hall of Fame career.
Travis Kelce Retirement Watch: Andy Reid “Doesn’t Know” if the End is Near
When asked if Thursday’s game against the Broncos would be Kelce’s final curtain call at Arrowhead Stadium, Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid didn’t exactly pour water on the retirement rumors.
“I don’t know if it is or not. I haven’t talked to him,” Reid said.
The writing seems to be on the wall for the 36-year-old tight end. His brother, Jason, recently admitted he was “curious” about whether Travis would hang them up, and Kelce is in the final year of his contract. While Kelce declined to comment on his future this week (preferring to keep the focus on the team) the context of his life suggests a pivot is coming. The Chiefs are facing a massive offseason retooling, and Kelce is set to marry pop star Taylor Swift next summer.
Kelce previously admitted he considered retiring after last season but returned to “give it a good run” following a blowout loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. While the team results weren’t there this year, Kelce did manage a respectable statistical season (68 catches, 803 yards, 5 TDs), tying Jerry Rice for the most consecutive seasons with at least 800 receiving yards.
Patrick Mahomes noted earlier this year that Kelce has earned the right to “do whatever he wants to do.” And if Thursday is the end of the Kelce era at Arrowhead, it marks the conclusion of one of the most dominant TE runs in NFL history.
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn ImagesRaiders Shut Down Brock Bowers Ahead of Ultimate “Tank Bowl” Showdown
It is officially a wrap on Brock Bowers’ sophomore season. The Las Vegas Raiders placed their star tight end on injured reserve Wednesday due to a lingering knee injury, ending a frustrating Year 2 for the 2024 first-team All-Pro.
After setting the league on fire as a rookie with 112 catches and nearly 1,200 yards, Bowers struggled to replicate that magic in 2025. Between the nagging knee issue costing him three games in October and and the general offensive dysfunction under new Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll, Bowers finishes with just 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games.
But let’s be honest: The timing here is the real story.
By shelving their best offensive weapon now, the Raiders seem to be fully leaning into the “Tank Bowl” of the year. Las Vegas hosts the New York Giants this Sunday in a battle of 2-13 teams. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the future of both franchises: The loser of this game takes sole possession of the NFL’s worst record and the inside track to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
According to The Athletic, the Raiders currently have a 34 percent chance of landing the top pick, edging out the Giants by a single percentage point. With a Week 18 matchup looming against a depleted Chiefs squad led by third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun, the Raiders are clearly making business decisions with an eye toward April.
Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesMerry Christmas, Washington: Commanders Turn to Josh Johnson
If you asked Washington Commanders fans what they wanted for Christmas, “Josh Johnson starting at quarterback” probably wasn’t on the list. But in a season defined by attrition, it’s exactly what they’re getting.
Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn confirmed Wednesday that the team is turning to its third starting quarterback of the season for Christmas Day’s clash against the Dallas Cowboys. With 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels already shut down and veteran Marcus Mariota ruled out with a gruesome hand injury (that required six stitches) and a quad issue, the keys now belong to the ultimate journeyman, Josh Johnson.
“Next man up” doesn’t quite cover the situation in Washington anymore; it’s more like “who is left?”
Jeff Driskel, who was re-signed just Monday, will serve as the backup, while practice squad arm Sam Hartman gets the call-up as the emergency third option.
The stakes for this NFC East tilt? Non-existent. Both the Commanders (4-11) and Cowboys (6-8-1) have been eliminated from playoff contention, turning this Christmas broadcast into a showcase of survival rather than a push for the postseason. Yuck.
Photo: Getty ImagesExtra Points
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean, and Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos are the NFC Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 16.NFC Players of the Week! (Week 16) pic.twitter.com/TbqzMy0Ljx
— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2025 Purdy completed 25 of 34 pass attempts (73.5 percent) for 295 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes with a 126.8 passer rating in San Francisco’s 48-27 win at Indianapolis. Purdy became the first 49ers quarterback with five touchdown passes in a regular-season game since Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana on Oct. 14, 1990. DeJean recorded four tackles, a career-high four passes defensed, and an interception in Philadelphia’s 29-18 win at Washington. He is one of two players in the NFL – and the only player in the NFC – to record at least four tackles, four passes defensed, and an interception in a game this season, joining Joey Porter Jr. (Week 9). Santos converted all three of his field goal attempts in a driving wind – from 46, 51, and 43 yards – and his lone point after attempt, as well as helped the Bears’ special teams recover an onside kick with 1:59 remaining in regulation in Chicago’s 22-16 overtime win against Green Bay.HE DID IT! Cairo Santos is the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week t.co/1Uy6Z6KHKS
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) December 24, 2025 Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley, and Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke are the AFC Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 16.AFC Players of the Week! (Week 16) pic.twitter.com/N1d3WOfV9U
— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2025 Burrow completed 25 of 32 pass attempts (78.1 percent) for 309 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 146.5 passer rating in Cincinnati’s 45-21 victory at Miami. He had the highest passer rating in the NFL and the most touchdown passes in the AFC in Week 16. Burrow became the third player in NFL history with at least 150 touchdown passes (152) and the fifth player ever with at least 20,000 passing yards (20,269) in his first 75 career games. Stingley recorded two tackles, a forced fumble, and returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in Houston’s 23-21 win over Las Vegas. He was the only player in the NFL with a forced fumble and an interception in Week 16. Cooke had six punts – including four inside the 20 with two inside the 10 and one inside the five – with a league-long of 63 and an average of 52 yards in the Jaguars 34-20 win at Denver.Hence then, the article about around the nfl travis kelce retirement watch bowers hits ir x mas stinkers more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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