As the curtain fell on 2023, Travis Kelce came into this year riding the wave of his blockbuster romance with Taylor Swift and on the hunt for a third Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He bids farewell to 2024 after achieving the latter in dramatic fashion – with the Chiefs crossing the line after a nail-biting meeting with the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas in February – before providing one of the images of the year in which he embraced Swift then on the field.
Away from football, his relationship with the pop megastar has gone from strength to strength over the past twelve months, while there have even been acting and presenting debuts on the small screen. The New Heights podcast he co-hosts with brother Jason now also has nearly 2.5 million subscribers on YouTube.
So the question is: how can Kelce top all that by 2025?
Believe it or not, next year has the potential to go down as the most sensational yet for the NFL superstar, given the possible next steps he and Swift could take in their relationship.
Engagement talk was rife throughout 2024, with Taylor’s die-hard legion of ‘Swiftie’ fans desperate for Travis to get down on one knee and make it official with their beloved singer.
Travis Kelce won the Super Bowl and hugged Taylor Swift on the field in early 2024
His blockbuster romance with the pop megastar went from strength to strength
So as he caps off another sensational year, what will happen for Kelce in 2025?
They’ll be holding their breath for him to do this in 2025, and it would take a brave man to bet against the Chiefs tight end and pop the question before the year is out.
This week, fans began speculating that the pair were already engaged after claiming Swift’s left ring finger looked “blurred” in a photo from her glitzy Eras Tour party.
A number of social media users peddled the theory that she purposely “sprung” an engagement ring to cover up the news that Kelce has already proposed.
The couple has yet to announce any such news, which would undoubtedly break the internet if it was indeed confirmed.
Still, the pressure will be on for Kelce to step up and rope in the singer, especially considering fellow NFL star Josh Allen recently proposed to his own pop star girlfriend in Hailee Steinfeld.
Considering that Allen and Steinfeld’s romance didn’t become public knowledge until May 2023 — four months before Kelce and Swift’s was revealed — then we might not be far away from the earth-shattering moment of a Travis proposal.
And if a proposal were earth-shattering, a pregnancy bomb would blow it completely to pieces.
Once again, Swifties aren’t tired of speculating that Travis and Taylor will have kids together in 2024, especially after the former dropped a number of hints throughout the year.
There could be more TV opportunities after he made his presenting debut earlier this year
But fans are most concerned about the next steps in his relationship with Swift in 2025 (Photo: Kelce on stage with Swift for the Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium in June)
The singer’s legion of fans are calling on Kelce to get down on one knee and propose
During the presentation of ‘Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity’ on Prime Video, Kelce was discussing the topic of parenthood when celebrity contestant Ryan Fitzpatrick joked that having children makes you ‘wiser’.
‘Is that what happens when you have children? Are you getting smarter?’ said the 35-year-old. “Man, is that all I had to do to become brilliant?”
He then teased the idea of becoming a father again when he spoke to brother Jason about NBA player Victor Wembanyama’s 7-foot frame at New Heights last month.
“You can’t tell me that guy wasn’t made in a lab over there in France,” Travis joked about Wembanyama before adding, “Lab-grown diamonds? That’s a lab-grown, damn NBA player. I can’t wait to f***ing make one.’
Jason then responded to the inevitable Swiftie rant by laughing, “Don’t do this. Please don’t give those other conspiracy theorists anything else to cling to.”
Unfortunately for Travis’ big brother, the conspiracy theories about a Swift-Kelce baby will continue to grow stronger the longer they stay together.
And while a proposal may be the more likely of the two, Travis also can’t rule out becoming a father for the first time, as he turns 36 in ten months.
It’s no secret that the three-time Super Bowl winner wants to start a family, so there will be few surprises when the wheels are set in motion on that in the coming year.
Nevertheless, 2025 could also prove to be a memorable year for Kelce for slightly less cheerful reasons.
Don’t count on Kelce popping the question to Swift before next year comes to an end
The first four months of the 2024 NFL season have been a rollercoaster ride for the Kansas City hero, whose subpar form has at times raised major concerns that he could leave football.
As things stand, Kelce is on pace to record his lowest reception total for the Chiefs since 2017, with 84, which is expected to be the fourth-lowest return of his 11-year career.
His numbers are also good when it comes to yards. Through 14 games, he has just 709, while his previous low of 862 came in his rookie season 10 years ago.
The man himself has dropped a number of retirement tips over the past year, including when he suggested his performance against the Browns last weekend could be the last time he ever plays in his hometown of Cleveland.
“It felt so surreal,” Travis told Jason at New Heights. “I don’t know if it’s the last time I play in Cleveland, but it kind of felt like I was giving one last hurray before I’m done, because I’ve only played there twice in 12 years… It was a special day for me personally.’
Of course, another Super Bowl ring isn’t out of the question for Kelce next year, as the Chiefs currently have a formidable 13-1 record.
They have tried their luck several times after winning many games by one score, while the likes of the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills will provide stiff competition in the postseason.
Travis’ NFL career is also on the line, with many suggesting he could retire in 2025
He could bow out at the top if the Chiefs get their hands on a third consecutive Super Bowl
If he did, he could ride off into the sunset with Swift after a historic three-peat
However, the back-to-back champions also entered last year’s playoffs as Super Bowl outsiders, having flattered to deceive in the regular season before proving they were top contenders with a series of huge wins. en route to a second consecutive victory over Vince Lombardi.
Andy Reid’s winning machine is still one of the leading contenders to go all the way this season and seal an unprecedented three-peat – but in either scenario, Kelce may feel the time is right to put his boots on to hang up and prioritize both of his relationships. with Swift and a newfound status as a TV personality.
Saying goodbye to the sport he has dedicated his entire life to will be much easier if he does indeed win a third straight Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Getting his hands on one final ring in 2025 would give him the perfect opportunity to ride off into the sunset with Swift by his side. And who knows… a different kind of ring could become a bigger talking point.