Kansas City Chiefsgeneral manager Brett Veach had plenty to say about while speaking at the NFL Combine on Tuesday.
For starters, Veach addressed the swirling retirement rumors surrounding the veteran tight end following the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 59 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite speculation, the respected GM made it clear that he expects Kelce to return for the 2025 season.
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“I still think he has that fire and desire to play,”Veach stated. “How we left at the end of the season is that he was fired up. I think we left it as he’d be back and were excited to get him back and get him going.”
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What truly caught fans’ attention wasn’t the retirement talk-it was Veach’s explanation for Kelce’s underwhelming Super Bowl performance. According to the GM, Kelce was “battling with a pretty big illness” leading up to the game.
Kelce, usually a dominant presence in big moments, finished with just four receptions for 39 yards in the Chiefs’ 27-20 defeat. From the opening snap, something seemed off, and now, weeks later, Veach suggests an undisclosed illness was a factor.
Not everyone is buying it. Social media was quick to react, with fans questioning the timing of the excuse. “Gotta love the excuses that come out a few weeks later…” one person posted on X. Another fan wrote, “Washed is an illness these days? Who knew.”
Eagles fans, meanwhile, weren’t having it. “Jalen Carter was battling an illness all week,” one person pointed out. “Landon Dickerson playing on one leg. Jurgens bad back. BG one-armed. Nolan played the whole second half on one arm as well. No excuses.”
Kelce hasn’t addressed the claim. So far, he’s only spoken about taking time to figure out his future. “I know everybody wants to know whether I am playing next year and right now I am just kicking everything down the road,”Kelce told The Pat McAfee Show.“I am not making any crazy decisions, but right now the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches.”
Veach’s comment may have been meant to support his star, but in a league where every player battles something, it’s not surprising that many fans aren’t letting Kelce off the hook that easily.
