“Home Sweet Home”: Patrick Mahomes Surprises Pal Travis Kelce While the TE Signs New Deal
Dec 25, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (middle) and tight end Travis Kelce (right) open their Netflix Christmas GameDay cake after the Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images After months of speculation, Travis Kelce finally sat down at the Kansas City facility on Monday to make his return official, pen in hand, committing to a new deal that keeps him with the Kansas City Chiefs for the foreseeable future. For a player who has spent more than a decade redefining the tight end position, the signing was less about ink on paper and more about confirming that one of the NFL’s most successful partnerships would continue.
That partnership made its presence felt even before the contract was fully signed. As Kelce finalized the deal, his longtime quarterback and close friend Patrick Mahomes appeared via FaceTime in a team-produced video, calling in to congratulate him and share in the moment despite not being in the room. “Congrats, man, ” Mahomes said as Kelce grinned at his phone.
“Home sweet home, with the beard too,” Mahomes added, prompting Kelce to laugh. “I just wanted to call to say congratulations,” he told Kelce. “I know you’ve got stuff going on.
” The Chiefs confirmed the agreement later that day, though they did not immediately release full financial details. According to Ian Rapoport, the deal is structured as a three-year contract worth $54. 735 million and could reach $57.
735 million with incentives. Kelce is set to earn $12 million in the first year, along with an additional $3 million in performance-based bonuses. The signing brings clarity after months of speculation about whether Kelce, now entering his mid-thirties, would continue playing or consider retirement.