"Father Time is undefeated": HOFer Cris Carter calls it the end of Travis Kelce's career after Chiefs get eliminated from playoff contention

Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are eliminated from playoff contention. The perennial Super Bowl winners were beaten by the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 and will now watch the playoffs from home.

While speaking to Kay Adams, Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter has called for Travis Kelce to call it a career.

"When he catches the football, his objective is not to fumble and he can’t make anybody miss anymore… Father Time is undefeated."

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Carter enjoyed a 16-year professional career and retired from the game after the 2002 season. He knows a thing or two about how it feels to no longer be able to perform at the peak of your powers.

Carter might have a point, as Kelce has as many fumbles (five) as he has touchdowns (five) in the 2025 regular season. It's a career high in fumbles for the typically assured tight end, and it has resulted in numerous lost plays for the Chiefs.

Kelce finished the Week 15 loss with a stat line of seven catches, 70 receiving yards and zeroTDs, and watched his superstar QB Patrick Mahomes suffer a season-ending ACL injury. Kelce now has three more games to make a decision about his future playing at the highest level.

Travis Kelce and the Chiefs are up against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16

The rest of the Kansas City Chiefs' season might be viewed as an extended goodbye to Travis Kelce. The Chiefs are set to miss the playoffs for the first time in the Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce era.

Next up for last year's beaten Super Bowl finalists is a trip to Tennessee to face off against the Titans. It's a game that they're penciled down as favorites.

The Chiefs will have their final home game of the season in Week 17 against the Denver Broncos. It's a game that might hold some sentimental importance depending on Kelce's decision on his future. The Broncos are currently one of the red-hot teams in the league.

The Chiefs will close the campaign with a trip to Las Vegas to face off against the Raiders. They'll then have an array of decisions to make in the offseason.

Edited by Nick Igbokwe