NFL analyst claims Travis Kelce’s new contract “righted the wrongs of years gone by”
Travis Kelce is likely eager to check his bank account to find some of his new $34,000,000 deal. For any non-quarterback in his mid-30s to earn close to $20 million in a season is rare. For that player to be a tight end is even rarer.
That said, speaking on Tuesday's edition of "Pro Football Talk," NFL analyst Mike Florio claimed the new contract wasn't only made with the future in mind.
"They're never going to do anything except this Travis Kelce contract where they righted the wrongs of years gone by," Florio said. "That's very very rare that you're going to have anything like that." [00:04:54]
Before that, Florio stated that teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, usually put themselves first.
"The team is always going to do what's in its best interest. It's always going to do what's right for it," Florio added.
"Never going to close the door to trade except if you have Patrick Mahomes. But it's all driven by what is best for the team and if it happens to be what also is best for the player, that's coincidental."
However, in this rare instance, the team allegedly made up for some unknown transgression in the past. In the context of the conversation, it appeared that Florio was merely talking about money, but it is unclear whether he was alluding to anything else.
Did Travis Kelce receive a pay raise at age 34?
As with most new contracts, many fans wonder if the tight end managed to increase his pay well past the typical point of decline in the NFL. In one respect, yes, Travis Kelce saw his average yearly salary increase. However, in another respect, he saw a decrease in job security.
In 2020, Tyreek Hill's former teammate signed a four-year, $57 million deal with the team that would make 2024 his final season. It averaged $14 million per year. Now, he is playing on a $34 million deal with an average salary of about $17 million.
With his last extension, he received four years. With his newest deal, he received one additional year on top of the 2024 year he was already under contract for.
2023 was the first time the tight end slipped below 1000 total yards in a season since 2015. If he fails to earn more than the 984 yards he earned in 2024, it would create a sense of erosion for the career right-hand of Patrick Mahomes. Will Kelce avoid creating a pattern of decline?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk" and H/T Sportskeeda.