Training camp is officially open for all 32 teams around the NFL this summer, marking the unofficial start to the 2026 season. It's a time of great optimism among every fanbase, front office and locker room in the league, as they all get to start the year with a clean slate.
Some teams will look to build on their successes from last season, while others will look to improve after less-than-ideal campaigns. The Kansas City Chiefs fall squarely into the second category after a dismal 6-11 finish that saw them outside of the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
The Chiefs dealt with injuries and hardship all year long, setbacks that seemed to make it easy for one of their best players to put off retirement for at least one more year. Travis Kelce returned in 2025 with unfinished business after the Chiefs' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, and he'll look to finally close that loop in 2026.
Kelce was spotted with his teammates for the opening week of Chiefs' training camp on Wednesday, as the team shared a video of the veteran tight end making his way to the practice field.
Kelce's 'Last Dance' Could Come This Season
Fans cheered in support, and Kelce thanked them for coming out to see the team prepare for the new season.
Camp no. 14 for @tkelce ⛺️ pic.twitter.com/WE9aR5wiAH
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 29, 2026
Kelce is set to enter his 14th NFL season, one that he will be 37 years old for when it concludes. As an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time Super Bowl champion, he has nothing to prove when it comes to individual or team accolades.
Earlier this month, NFL legend Cris Carter shared a photo with Kelce, stating in the caption that the tight end "is preparing for THE LAST DANCE. Next stop Canton/HOF.”
Kelce's expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he is eventually inducted, but it remains to be seen exactly when that induction will take place. He'll have to wait at least five years after retirement, which could be as early as 2031 if he decides that this is his final season.
As Kelce's career on the field begins to wind down, he's gained several new fans due to his relationship with Taylor Swift. After dating for multiple years and being engaged for several months, Kelce and Swift were married during an extravagant ceremony in New York City's Madison Square Garden.
Some fans at Chiefs training camp congratulated Kelce on getting married, and first-hand accounts from guests at the wedding suggest that it was an emotional day for the longtime Kansas City player.
Travis Kelce's Busy Summer of 2026
“Travis was a puddle watching his nieces come down the little ramp that they built,” said sports commentator Joe Buck, speaking on the Starkville podcast. “And then, you know, when [Taylor Swift] walked out, he was a puddle.”
Buck said that Swift and Kelce's wedding vows were "long, really well written, funny, sweet and emotional," while Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid noted Adam Sandler's words to the newlywed couple while officiating the ceremony.
“Adam Sandler conducted the service there and he told them to keep kissing,” Reid said during a press conference for a Fourth of July event.
“So, in its simplest form, that’s a good thing. It’s hard to argue when you give your wife a kiss, or your wife gives you a kiss. And make sure you do it every day, every minute that you have an opportunity to do it. Knock it out, and you won’t have problems."
On the field, Kelce's potential final season will begin with a preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on August 15. The Chiefs will start the 2026 regular season around one month later, facing the division rival Denver Broncos in Week 1 on September 14.
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