Unlike Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce has not let his growing age influence his decision regarding retirement in his 30s. Nevertheless, sooner or later his age would catch up to him to become a significant factor, a sentiment echoed by the legendary Gronk, who believes that moment may be at least a couple of years away from now.

After the remarkable season of 2023 that earned the Chiefs the second consecutive Super Bowl victory despite having the worst receiving squad, Kelce signed a two-year extension with the team, postponing his retirement plans till then. However, his performance hasn’t resonated with the stats of last season which has brought back the subject of his retirement on the table.

During the recent episode of the Up & Adams podcast, Gronk–who retired at the age of 33–drew parallels between himself and the Kansas City Chiefs star tight end. He dismissed the notion that Kelce is struggling, instead highlighting the nine-time Pro Bowler’s impressive numbers, believing he still has a couple of good years before hanging his cleats.

In his final season at the age of 33, Gronk recorded 55 receptions on 89 targets. There’s no denying that Kelce slowed down in recent years, but he has never really relied upon speed and athleticism to earn the prominence he has today. Instead, he used football IQ, strength, and reliable hands to his advantage–which is why, he is playing better than many players of his age.

While talking about the Chiefs’ star tight end, Gronk also praised his legendary partnership with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, calling the two “unbelievable.” Unlike Gronk and Tom Brady where the quarterback was ten years old, the equation between Mahomes and Kelce works well because the tight end is more experienced.

Despite not having even a single reliable wide receiver last season, Kelce and Mahomes formulated a phenomenal duo to lead the team to the Super Bowl victory and earned the label of one of the most dangerous duos in the league’s history.