NEW ORLEANS -- Losing big was a new experience for Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs, and the timing couldn't have been worse.
The Chiefs saved their worst for last, and on the biggest stage: a 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
It was that close only because Kansas City's three touchdowns came after Philly opened a 34-0 lead.
"We haven't played that bad all year," Kelce said.
Excluding the Chiefs' season-ending shutout loss at Denver, a game contested mostly with reserves, coach Andy Reid's team hasn't played this poorly in years.
A franchise bidding to become the first in NFL history to post a Super Bowl three-peat didn't put itself in position to do so. Not by playing the way it did on Sunday.
The outcome was stunning, mostly because the offense didn't perform -- and that includes Kelce, who finished with four receptions on six targets for 39 yards. He was in position to make a catch early in the game that would have kept a drive alive but didn't come up with the ball.
Sunday's game marked the first time Kelce didn't have a reception in the first half of a playoff game.
"We didn't get it going offensively," Kelce said. "On top of that, turnovers, penalties, playing behind the sticks on offense. Dropped passes ... you don't lose like that without everything going bad."
Now the question becomes this: What is Kelce's future? He has a year remaining on a deal he signed before this season that made him the game's highest-paid tight end, with an average salary of $17.125 million.
NFL.com reported Sunday that Kelce was uncertain about returning for the 2025 season, but he gave no hint of stepping away in media opportunities leading up to the Super Bowl.
On Opening Night last Monday, Kelce said, "I feel like I still got a lot of good football left in me."
He's among the best to ever play the position, and although he didn't have a big game against the Eagles, he moved ahead of Jerry Rice for most career Super Bowl receptions. He also is the NFL's career leader in postseason receptions.
He played in his 25th playoff game on Sunday, matching the most in Chiefs history. He's been to five Super Bowls, winning three, while playing for 10 straight playoff teams and nine consecutive AFC West winners.
And he surpassed 1,000 career receptions and 12,000 yards this season.
Is there more for Kelce to conquer on the gridiron?
"He'll get time to make that decision with his family, but he knows he can come back here to open arms," Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. "It's if he wants to put in the grind. It's a grind to play 20 games. He's done enough to be a gold jacket guy, be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
"I know he still has a love for the game."
There was nothing to love about Sunday's game.
With his girlfriend, superstar entertainer Taylor Swift, watching from above in a Caesars Superdome suite, Kelce couldn't prevent Kansas City from spiraling early. The Chiefs picked up just one first down -- achieved on their first play -- and 23 total yards in the first half.
"There were a lot of things going wrong," Kelce said. "It was an accumulation of things not going our way. This one is going to hurt."
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