Over his 12 seasons in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as one of the most dominant tight ends in league history. However, after a noticeable dip in production this season, it appears the time may be nearing for the Chiefs to begin considering his eventual replacement.

Ahead of the 2024 season, Travis Kelce signed a new contract with the Chiefs that made him the highest-paid tight end in the league. But despite this contract, his on-field performance has not lived up to expectations.

During the regular season, Kelce had the least productive campaign of his entire career as a starter with his numbers falling in nearly every receiving stat.

The veteran tight end experienced drops in terms of his yards per game, yards per reception, and yards after the catch. Additionally, his average depth of target was shortened and he caught fewer touchdowns this season than in any other previous season.

This obvious drop in production in addition to Kelce’s pending free agency in 2026 has led one NFL analyst to expect that the Chiefs will look for Kelce’s replacement in the upcoming NFL Draft.

NFL analyst Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports predicts that Kansas City will target Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft as Kelce’s potential replacement.

“It’s time for the Chiefs to start planning for life after Travis Kelce, who will turn 36 next October,” Easterling wrote for Athlon. “One of the best kept secrets in this year’s class, Fannin is putting up ridiculous numbers this season, and his athleticism and versatility would make him the ideal understudy for Kelce. Giving Patrick Mahomes another explosive weapon at tight end would be a huge win.”

Fannin has enjoyed one of the most dominant seasons for a college tight end in recent memory, leading all players – including wide receivers – in catches and receiving yards, amassing 117 receptions for 1,555 yards.

While Kelce has not publicly indicated that he plans to retire after this season, he has also notably not ruled out the possibility.

“I love everything that I’m doing … but at the end of the day, I’m not having that extreme success on the field,” Kelce said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “I’m excited for these next couple of games … to finish this season off. I’ll re-evaluate it like I always do.”

Even if Kelce does not opt to retire after this season, he’s clearly nearing the end of his career and is not the same player that he once was. So it would make sense for the Chiefs to need to start preparing for when he eventually retires.

See More: Patrick Mahomes debunks Trump’s claim that Senator Tommy Tuberville coached and recruited him

‘I don’t remember if I ever got to meet him or not,’ says Kansas City Chiefs quarterback

Patrick Mahomes has contradicted claims by Donald Trump that Alabama’s Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville coached and recruited the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback. Mahomes told The Philadelphia Inquirer Thursday that he’s not even sure he ever met the guy.

During the president’s executive order signing on Wednesday, Trump praised Tuberville, claiming that he had both coached and recruited Mahomes while he was at Texas Tech University.

“Tommy Tuberville, a great coach,” said Trump, who’s attending the Super Bowl Sunday in New Orleans between the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. “You know, his quarterback was named Mahomes. He was a great college coach.”

Trump said he asked Tuberville, referring to Mahomes: ”How good was he?” The president said Tuberville responded: “You don’t want to know how good … he made me into a great coach.”

Trump added: “He’s a pretty good quarterback, right? Yeah, he was very good, and he’s a good guy too.”

Many were quick to point out on X that Mahomes and Tuberville never even worked together. Tuberville coached from 2010 to 2012 while Mahomes played football at the school from 2014 to 2016.

“Donald Trump said that Senator Tommy Tuberville coached Patrick Mahomes. Tommy Tubesocks left Texas Tech in 2012, two years before Mahomes arrived,” one post read.

The quarterback unequivocably told the Philadelphia Inquirer Thursday: “He did not recruit me at the time. I don’t remember if I ever got to meet him or not.”

Tuberville appeared to attempt to clarify the men’s relationship in a post on X, yet continued to imply that the two of them had a history. “As a coach, you start recruiting and working with players years before they get to college,” he wrote.

“Patrick Mahomes was one of the best players I ever had the opportunity to recruit and get to know. Looking forward to cheering him on this weekend when I join President Trump at the Super Bowl,” he added.

Trump announced on Tuesday that he would be attending this year’s big game at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, making him the first sitting president to watch the Super Bowl in person.

Mahomes commented in a press conference about Trump’s attendance, telling reporters: “It’s always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president – someone that is at the top position in our country.”

Trump (right) recently congratulated Mahomes (left) on the birth of his third child (Getty Images)

Mahomes was also asked about Trump’s previous comments when he called the Chiefs quarterback “a good winner.”

“I don’t want to say, but there’s a certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner,” Trump said when asked what team he would be rooting for.

Mahome said: “It’s cool to hear that he’s seen me play football and respects the game that I play.”

Trump also congratulated Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on the birth of their third child, one month after the two of them shared the news.

“Congratulations to the Chiefs GREAT Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and his very beautiful and BRILLIANT wife, Brittany, on the birth of their new baby daughter, Golden Raye,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform Thursday.

“This is what I call a baby with great genes, both mother and father. It’s happy times in the wonderful Mahomes family. See you all on Sunday!”