Determined for a strong comeback, Travis Kelce has already shed 25 pounds this offseason. Earlier this year, the Chiefs’ tight end spent a few months privately preparing for the season in a rented $20 million mansion in Florida. HC Reid was already aware of the process his TE was going through to improve his fitness. Back in May, the Chiefs HC had said that Kelce wants to come back, and he’s training like crazy, too.

Well, the 35-year-old’s commitment did not go unnoticed. Head coach Reid was most impressed with how the TE, at 35, ‘looks like he is 20’ after prioritizing his fitness following the Super Bowl debacle. “He’s svelte right now,” Reid said earlier this week. “He’s doing a great job. He’s in great shape. You can see he’s been working out.

With Mahomes relentlessly working on his deep pass throws and Kelce getting back into shape, it seems like things are aligning once again for another major season for the Chiefs. And when the Chiefs dropped a clip of Kelce snagging passes from Mahomes, captioning, “Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but… Mahomes to Kelce for 6,” it wasn’t the throw or the catch that had everyone talking.

Kelce’s physical appearance, with a leaner frame, sharper movements, and an intensity that jumped off the screen, was noticeably different. The 35-year-old TE moved with the spring of a rookie, his physique looking more chiseled than it has in recent seasons, especially compared to the last season.

During the 2024 regular season, Kelce recorded just three TDs and 823 receiving yards, both career lows. When the Chiefs fell to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, Kelce, a postseason legend, managed only four catches for 39 yards. That, too, recording zero catches in the first half. And the whispers started: Was it time to hang it up? But retirement was never in the cards. “I know I’m getting older, but at the same time I still feel like I got a lot that I can prove in this league,” Kelce said during the OTAs. “It really wasn’t that hard of a decision for me. I really didn’t feel like it was my last game.”

If anything, the loss lit a fire under him. “Last year I think I failed especially in that last game, in being a leader and being the one that can step up and make plays,” he admitted. Now, with a fresh haircut and a body that looks years younger, Kelce is back to prove the doubters wrong. “I’m setting the bar even higher for myself this year than I have in the past,” he vowed. “Last year wasn’t a success for me, and I’m motivated to make sure we get that other ring this year.” Something which Mahomes also did soon after the Super Bowl loss was getting a haircut.

And while Kelce’s new-look intensity speaks for itself on the field, the real show is happening online, where fans are serving up reactions hotter than a Mahomes deep ball.

Social media erupts over Travis Kelce’s striking change

If Kelce’s new look is any indication, he’s taking this season dead seriously – and the Chiefs Kingdom is losing its collective mind over it. The moment those training camp clips hit social media, the reactions came pouring in faster than a Mahomes no-look pass. The official New Heights podcast account kicked things off with their signature brotherly love: “Never gets old.” Then the memes started flying. One fan perfectly paired a Lil Wayne gif with the caption: “Trimmed healthy Kelce.” Others simply couldn’t contain their excitement: “Looking good,” “GOAT,” and the ultra-confident “Chiefs winning Super Bowl this year, man.”

But the real mood? Hopeful. “I hope we get to see more of this during the season,” wrote another, summing up what every Chiefs fan is thinking. Turns out, the fans aren’t the only ones noticing. Coach Andy Reid couldn’t help but rave about Kelce’s condition to ESPN: “He’s svelte right now. He looks like he’s 20.” Reid even teased that Kelce might’ve aced the team’s conditioning tests. “He’s worked hard to get to this spot,” he added.

With just one year left on his contract, this season feels bigger than just football for Kelce. He’s said he wants to retire as a Chief, but first, there’s unfinished business. Following what he called a ‘not successful‘ 2024 season, this physical and mental reset has fans believing in him again. And if training camp is any indication, that renewed energy is contagious – from the weight room to the locker room to the entire Chiefs fanbase buzzing online.

One thing’s clear: Travis Kelce isn’t just chasing another ring – he’s rewriting his own story. The buzzcut, the chiseled physique, the fire in his voice when he talks about last season’s failure. It all adds up to a veteran who’s found another gear. Whether this is his final chapter or just another legendary act, Kansas City’s favorite tight end is making sure nobody counts him out yet. The Kelce Redemption Tour looks like must-see TV.