Travis Kelce retires. Trey Smith exits… That was the headline rocking Chiefs Kingdom after their SB LIX loss to the Eagles. Their three-peat dream? Dead on arrival. And now, heading into the offseason, it’s looking more like a horror movie than a championship sequel. But Andy Reid’s squad doesn’t let heartbreak linger for too long. So, what’s the move?

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport dropped a bombshell: “The #Chiefs are planning to franchise tag star guard Trey Smith, sources say. An intriguing move, as KC keeps one of its best players for $23.4M on a 1-year, fully guaranteed deal.” That’s right. Just when it seemed like Smith would hit the open market, the Chiefs slammed the door shut.

The tag, which lumps all offensive linemen into one pricey category, rarely benefits interior linemen. But Kansas City wasn’t about to let their Pro Bowl guard walk. So, the move makes sense.

The guard market has been booming—Landon Dickerson’s $21 million per year deal set the bar, and Smith was poised to cash in. If he had hit free agency, some desperate team would’ve backed up the Brinks truck.

Instead, Kansas City locks him in for at least one more season, paying him a record $23.4 million for a guard. A hefty price? Sure. But losing him? That would’ve been way worse. Now, the bigger question: Is this just a temporary fix, or will the Chiefs go all-in on a long-term deal?

Last year, they made Creed Humphrey the highest-paid center in the league, and pairing him with Smith for the foreseeable future would keep Patrick Mahomes’ pocket cleaner than a brand-new jersey (especially after Philly sacked him six times on the grand stage). So, for now, the Chiefs have bought themselves some time and they can focus on their #87.

Travis Kelce doesn’t want to go out like this

If you thought Travis Kelce was going to take that Super Bowl loss, ride off into the sunset, and call it a career—yeah, that was never happening. That’s just not how he’s wired. Pat McAfee put it out there: “I reached out to source(s) on the future of @tkelce… Source(s) said, ‘I’M COMING BACK FOR SURE… I’ve got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game, and I can’t go out like that!!!!’”

Kelce isn’t just coming back—he’s coming back with a vengeance. Remember the Mahomes’ ‘Revenge Tour’? Yeah, now his security blanket is blowing the same horn. He told McAfee he’s locking in this offseason, aiming to be in the best shape of his life.

And if there’s one thing we know about the guy, it’s that he thrives when he’s got something to prove. That Super Bowl loss? It’s fuel. He had just 39 yards on four catches in that game. That’s not his standard, and you better believe it’s eating at him.

But it’s not just the words… Add the numbers, and you’d see the complete story. 823 receiving yards. Three touchdowns. That’s Kelce’s lowest output since his rookie year (when he barely played). Sure, he still led the Chiefs in receptions with 97, but by his standards? That’s a down year. Plus, the way it ended? Not exactly the Hollywood ending he had in mind.

So, he’s got unfinished business, and you can feel it in every word.

Meanwhile, even Chiefs GM Brett Veach already hinted at this earlier in the week—he expected Kelce to be back. The March 15 roster bonus? That was never really a deadline. This decision was always going to be Kelce’s… But now we know: He’s not done. Not yet.