One of the most dynamic teams in the NFL finds itself at a crossroads. On one hand, there is the almost-but prospect of a Super Bowl hat-trick in ruins. On the other hand, the potential prospect of a legendary player hanging up his cleats looms large. In the middle of it all, the Chiefs are preparing for an arduous 21,695-mile journey to reclaim their throne. As for Chiefs’ WR Rashee Rice, he has been the most worried about Travis Kelce walking away from the gridiron.The Chiefs’ love for their tight end is unanimous. Rashee Rice shares a close bond with Travis Kelce, especially since Kelce has mentored Rice on various occasions. Rice even brought custom Travis Kelce printed tees for the team to wear back in September last season. Rice has also gotten WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman Jr. to wear the tee and show their support for their mentor. So when the Travis Kelce retirement saga unfolded, naturally, it was a big cause of concern for the star WR.As per a post on X by Chancellor Johnson, Rashee Rice was asked, “What were the concerns that you might not have 87 back this year before he announces the turn?” The prospect of not seeing his mentor on the field or in the locker room did not sit well with Rice. As Rice put it, “Yeah I was real concerned, I ain’t gonna lie. It’s Trav, you know what I’m saying? It’s Trav. But it’s like me getting hurt last year, it was like kind of a wake up call.” Rice is coming off of a Week – 4 knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the ‘24 season. That meant missing a lot of games that he could have played with Travis Kelce to add swagger to the Chiefs’ wins.After the Chiefs last Super Bowl loss, there were questions on if future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce would retire.Caught up with Rashee Rice at a local Houston football camp who is happy to have his tight end back.“I was real concerned, I ain’t gon lie. That’s Trav!” pic.twitter.com/t1ywdPr3Jq— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) June 14, 2025Rashee Rice further added in the interview, “I really want him to come back. Kind of realize the guys that you got to play with once it’s all over. So I get to actually be in my footsteps right now, you know what I’m saying? Accept that and just enjoy his presence around the team.” Right after the Super Bowl defeat last year at the hands of the Eagles, the Chiefs’ cut 7 players from their practice squad. Even just a few days ago, they waived DT Saiki Ika from the practice squad. As for Kelce, when he announced his return for the ‘25 season, a wave of relief swept over Kansas City. And while Rice enjoys playing one more year with his mentor, he may have had a lot to do with Kelce’s return.Through the I Am Athlete podcast, Rashee Rice has said he was the reason Travis Kelce decided to come back. He had texted Kelce upon hearing the retirement rumors. As Rice had put it on the podcast, “I ain’t even gonna lie, I’m 95 percent the reason he ain’t retiring… Told him he can’t go out like that, make sure we get that next year. I’m pretty sure he was hanging it up, and I’m like, ‘we can’t go out like that. We gotta do win that, I’m going to make sure we win that,’ that’s what I told him.” And Kelce took notice. As per Rice, Kelce texted him back, saying, “You really got me thinking about it. I really appreciate you reaching out to me.” For now, Travis Kelce is back in action, and he’s training harder than ever. He’s made some serious changes for the season, too.Travis Kelce’s retirement, and changes for 2025Travis Kelce left the Super Bowl LIX field with tears in his eyes and the burden of defeat on his shoulders. After the defeat, he said, “It’s a hard reality, man.” If heartbreak wasn’t enough, he was followed into the offseason by internet rumors about his body. Dov Kleiman sparked discussions concerning significant weight gain by pointing to “shadows” in the midsection. For a guy nicknamed the Big Yeti, known for muscling through double teams, that narrative hit especially hard. And retirement rumors were already swirling post-Super Bowl, but Coach Andy Reid quickly brushed them aside. He confirmed Kelce’s return for 2025 by saying, “Training like crazy.” But now, the tone has shifted. The visible proof of his transformation may soon silence the same critics who questioned his form.NFL, American Football Herren, USA Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos Jan 5, 2025 Denver, Colorado, USA Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce 87 walks the sidelines in the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Denver Empower Field at Mile High Colorado USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xRonxChenoyx 20250105_pjc_ac4_290Insider Jeremy Fowler claimed that a “slimmer” Travis Kelce will arrive at minicamp. The All-Pro has reportedly lost twenty-five pounds. Away from the Kansas City spotlight, exercising in a $20 million Boca Raton mansion that has been converted into a temporary boot camp. Insiders from the Daily Mail described the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club as a “full-on fitness retreat” after shirtless photos of him working out appeared on X. Still, Fowler suggests, “This could be the last dance.” But Mahomes isn’t buying into the retirement hype. The Chiefs quarterback praised Kelce’s dedication and effort during OTAs, saying, “If it’s the last ride, you would never know. – The way he’s talking about football. The way he’s talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year. He doesn’t seem like a guy like it’s his last ride, like he’s tired of the job.”Kelce himself made a suggestion that this might be a farewell tour, but on his terms. In March, Kelce declared, “I think the biggest thing is that I f—— love playing the game of football. – I love playing. I still feel like I can play it at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year.” So, yes, Kelce is going out stronger, leaner, and dead set on proving that legacy doesn’t fade, but will we see him on the turf in 2026? Well, that’s a cliffhanger.The post Rashee Rice Reveals Major Concerns About Travis Kelce While Sending Sentimental Message on Chiefs Retirement appeared first on EssentiallySports.