After Travis Kelce’s ‘Wear and Tear’ Request, Andy Reid Accepts Chiefs TE’s Challenge With a Witty Quip

Travis Kelce has made it clear that he’s here to stay! In a recent press conference, the tight end put all retirement rumors to rest that had sprung up after his two-year deal worth $34.25 million. The Kansas City Chiefs star clarified that he doesn’t plan on hanging up his cleats anytime soon and would play till he can.

Kelce also claimed that he’s all for the “wear and tear” after spending over a decade in the NFL, to which Andy Reid had an interesting addition in Thursday’s press conference. Following the team’s mandatory minicamp, the head coach talked about the TE position’s rookie and Chiefs’ plan going into the 2024 season.

Andy Reid plans to take up Travis Kelce on his offer!

This time around, reports popped up about whether the Chiefs might cut down Kelce’s playing time and utilize him for important occasions. This notion stems from the fact that the Ohio native is entering the 35th year this season, and the team might rely more on Noah Gray and rookie Jared Wiley for not-so-crucial games. Kelce was asked if he felt the strain of the tough sport on his body after all these years with the Chiefs, and the TE had an enthusiastic response, “Wear and tear me, baby,” he said. “I’m ready for it, man. Put the load on me.”

The head coach was quick to catch the athlete’s comment and had his own witty comment in return. “If he [Travis Kelce] wants to be worn out, we can help him with that,” said Reid with a smile in the post-minicamp conference while addressing Kelce’s playtime matter. This will be the Super Bowl Champion’s 12th season, and the tight end doesn’t plan on leaving the field anytime soon. He acknowledged that he would have plenty of “opportunities” outside the league, but he’s not done yet.

“I’m still a little kid when I come in this building,” said Kelce. “I love coming to work every single day and doing this. I’m gonna do it until the wheels fall off.” Whether the franchise will lean on their veteran TE this upcoming season still remains to be seen. As for now, Reid feels positive about the position and shares his views about the newest addition to the room, Jared Wiley.

Reid and Kelce feel positive about rookie TE Jared Wiley

The Chiefs picked a 23-year-old tight end from TCU as the 12th overall in the 2024 draft. Wiley joins Kelce and Noah Gray in the room and might get a chance to prove himself on the field in his first year. With many fans comparing him to a younger version of Kelce, Reid also approved of the rookie at the team’s press conference.

“He’s got a good feel,” said the head coach, “but he’s also got two good guys there — between Noah and Trav — that he can bounce things off of.”  Reid further mentioned how the team is more offense-focused than there was in Kelce’s early years. He also noted that the TE coach, Tom Melvin, is helping the rookie settle in. “We’re into the offense more than we were when Trav was coming up. So those guys help share it — and Tom does a nice job teaching them and spending extra time with them.”

Kelce himself had complimented the rookie on Tuesday, mentioning how Wiley had overtaken him when he was of that age. “He has a lot of upside,” he said. “He’s very comfortable — a smart guy. He is a lot further along than I was as a rookie in terms of understanding the offense and seeing the field.”

Travis Kelce enters the 2024 season with a clear motive in his head: to better his performance and ultimately achieve the feat of a three-peat at the championship game. The Kansas City Chiefs are midway through their mandatory minicamp and have been focussing on finessing the weak spots and familiarizing with the rookies.