For the first time in a decade, the Kansas City Chiefs are heading into Week 18 with nothing on the line but questions. A losing season is locked in, retirement chatter around Travis Kelce has grown louder, and uncertainty has even crept toward the sideline. However, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is having none of this, as he fully stands in support of his star tight end and makes it clear he has no intention of stepping away from Kansas City himself.

Reid, when asked directly about Kelce’s status for Week 18, reassured the media with a firm “Yes,” confirming that his star tight end would indeed be playing against the Raiders, via the Kansas City Chiefs channel.

The answer will raise a lot of eyebrows. In spite of Travis Kelce not having a productive season, the HC is putting his faith in him. The Chiefs are already out, and it is the perfect time to test out the rookies and inexperienced players. With Black Monday approaching, it may also give Reid an outlook on who is at what level, helping with the evaluation.

However, Reid made it clear that the only player on the injury list he might hold back was Trey Smith, who’s dealing with an ankle injury: “The only one I would think is questionable there would be Trey. I’m, you know, he’s got, he kind of pushed through that ankle, and he would probably push through this game, too, but I’m most likely going to hold him back a little bit,” showing that while certain players may be rested, key stars like Travis Kelce will be in action.

While testing out fresh legs seems a pretty valid reason, there is also a not-so-secret reason as to why Reid might be pushing his star TE this weekend. In his thirteen years in the NFL, the seven-time All-Pro covered 12,990 receiving yards and is currently third on the all-time list in career receiving yards by a tight end. Former Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten holds the second position, with 13,046 receiving yards. So, with just 57 receiving yards, Kelce can climb to the second spot.

It is achievable for him since he is currently averaging 52.4 receiving yards in the 2025 season. He played sixteen games this season, recording 73 receptions for 839 yards and five touchdowns.

The team expects all the regular starters, not just Travis Kelce, to start the game. The only one who won’t play is Trey Smith, who injured his ankle last week.

Coming back to Kelce, it is not only about an opportunity to enter the history books but also to use the stage to answer the critics who have been speculating about his retirement, and Andy Reid is helping him get there. Besides helping him, the head coach has also spoken about his future in Kansas City.

Travis Kelce’s “fearless warrior” has no intention of leaving the Chiefs anytime soon

This is the second time in his career as the Chiefs’ head coach that Andy Reid has missed out on the playoffs. Unfortunately, there are two big differences between the last time and the present. Presently, the Chiefs will finish third in the AFC West with a losing record, but back then, they finished second with a 9-7 record. Naturally, as passionate as the Chiefs fans are, they have raised concerns over Andy Reid’s exit. Despite these concerns, Reid was confidently smiling when directly asked about his future with the team, responding,

“No, I think I’m coming back,” and adding, “If they’ll have me back up, I’ll come back. You never know in this business, Matt [reporter]. So, that’s a tough one, but I plan on it. Yeah.”

Reid is the most successful head coach in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ history. He reached five Super Bowls, winning three of them. Under his coaching, the Chiefs became one of the most feared teams in the NFL, having dominated the AFC West in the past decade.

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But as he mentioned, the NFL is a funny business, where anything can happen. However, even as the Chiefs face uncertainty, Travis Kelce remains determined to lead the team alongside his favorite guy.

“I feel like I can’t even look my guy, Coach Andy Reid, in his eyes right now because I feel like I disappointed him, or I let him down someway, somehow,” Kelce told Tony Gonzalez in a recent conversation. “That’s my fearless leader,” he added. “I just feel like it’s my job to go out there and make it happen.”

Furthermore, Reid still has a chance to prove himself against the Raiders. Coming off a five-game losing streak, a win might give him a cushion to look forward to returning next year. Although the Raiders were one of the first teams to go out this season, they started their season by defeating the Patriots. So, they will expect to end things with a bang, too. It will be interesting to see how things turn out for the head coach and his tight end on the first weekend of 2026.