“End of his career”: Analysts compare Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement to Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s marriage

The engagement of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and global superstar Taylor Swift has captivated fans far beyond football, but the fairytale moment also carries weighty implications for Kelce’s future in the NFL.

At 35 and entering the last year of his contract, questions are growing louder about whether this will be his final season.

Analysts question Travis Kelce’s longevity and note signs of decline

NFL veteran analyst Pete Prisco didn’t hold back when evaluating where Kelce stands at this stage. “He is in the final year of his deal. He is coming to the end of his career... And he wasn't that good last year, but he seemed to be refocused this off season,” Prisco said on CBS Sports.

He even noted that Kelce “almost looked lean at times” in 2024, lacking his trademark explosiveness, though preseason flashes with Patrick Mahomes have reassured fans that the connection is still intact.Kelce’s playoff dip last year — just 175 receiving yards, his lowest since 2018 — fueled the narrative that age may finally be catching up. Still, his reported renewed commitment in the gym and offseason preparation suggests he’s eager to write one last chapter worthy of his Hall of Fame résumé.

Engagement puts spotlight on Taylor Swift’s fortune and celebrity parallels

Beyond football, Kelce’s engagement has triggered cultural comparisons to one of the most famous athlete-celebrity marriages of the past: Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen.

Analyst Chris Hassel quipped, “That’s chump change for Taylor. I mean, it’s like Tom Brady with his wife. She was making more too.”

With Swift’s billion-dollar empire dwarfing Kelce’s $17 million annual salary, even Prisco joked that Kelce had “married up.” But just like Brady and Bündchen, the fascination lies not in the money but in the intersection of sports greatness and pop culture royalty.Also Read: Taylor Swift proves the number 13 is her destiny as she gets engaged to her 13th boyfriend Travis KelceFor Chiefs fans, however, the bigger question is whether Kelce’s walk down the aisle will also lead to his walk away from the game.