Travis Kelce's new three-year contract is really a one-year deal
Technically, tight end Travis Kelce has signed a new three-year deal with the Chiefs. And it's a true three-year contract, without voidable years. It's structured to be a one-year deal, with what amounts to a placeholder provision for 2027.
Per a source with knowledge of the terms, the contract pays $12 million in 2026. The money comes in the form of a fully-guaranteed $3 million base salary, a $3 million fully-guaranteed reporting bonus earned on the fifth day of training camp, and a whopping $6 million in per-game roster bonuses — $352,941 for each of 17 regular-season games. The per-game roster bonuses are fully-guaranteed, and they'll be treated as earned if he's on the 53-man roster (active on game days or not), on injured reserve, or on the physically unable to perform list.
He'll only not get the payments if he's on the non-football illness/injury list. For 2026, the contract includes incentives of up to $3 million. He gets up to $2 million if the Chiefs make the playoffs.
For a postseason berth and 60 percent regular-season playing time, he gets an extra $750,000. At 70 percent regular-season playing time (also with a playoff berth), Kelce receives $1 million. At 80 percent regular-season playing time, and a playoff berth, the number maxes out at $2 million.
A Super Bowl berth and 60 percent regular-season playing time qualifies him for another $250,000. A Super Bowl berth and 70 percent regular-season playing time pushes the number to $1 million. The contract has minimum salaries for 2027 and 2028, along with a $40 million roster bonus in 2028.