Chad Johnson Believes Travis Kelce Will Take A Pay Cut In The NFL Because He's 'Dating A Billionaire'

Retired NFL star Chad Johnson, who once played for the Cincinnati Bengals, recently revealed his thoughts about the Kansas City Chiefs and the rumors swirling around about their star tight end Travis Kelce.

Conversations surrounding Kelce's future in the league have been ongoing for some time. After his underwhelming performance during the 2024-2025 season, many believe Kelce's end is near.

During an episode of his podcast with Shannon Sharpe, Johnson discussed the details that could impact whether or not Travis Kelce decides to stay on the field. According to him, he doesn't see the Super Bowl champion walking any time soon, especially because of his growing relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift.

Kelce joined the NFL in 2013 and immediately signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. His time with the team has been nothing short of stellar, and he has earned several accolades, including five Super Bowl appearances.

The Cleveland-born tight end still has another year on his contract; however, the Chiefs are set to pay him a nearly $12 million roster bonus on March 15.

With the bonus in play and the league's free agency beginning March 10, Kelce has been given a deadline of March 14 to inform the team of his plans to continue playing or retire.

On a recent episode of Sharpe and Johnson's successful podcast, "Nightcap," the former NFL players discussed the news surrounding Kelce's status in the league, including the possibility of him taking less money to make room for younger players to step into his role when it's time for him to step back.

According to Johnson, he doesn't see Kelce struggling to reach a fair deal with the Chiefs because the tight end is a "team player."

Additionally, Johnson referenced Kelce's star power off of the field, referring to his role in "Grotesquerie" and his job as host of Prime Video's "Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?"

"He's making so much money off of the field he's not going to have a problem doing that," Johnson said. "He's going to make up whatever he doesn't get off of the field because he has so much going on."

Johnson continued, likening the situation to when Tom Brady took pay cuts during his tenure with the New England Patriots. He asked Sharpe, "Who was Tom Brady dating [during that time] to make sure they kept the team around him?"

Sharpe reminded his co-host that Kelce wasn't married to his girlfriend, Swift; however, that didn't change Johnson's position.

"Trust me, he's good. He's dating a billionaire," he said.

Since joining the league in 2013, Kelce has had many impressive seasons. However, his 2024-2025 performance was the least productive of the 12-year professional's career.

The football player finished the season with 97 receptions for 823 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

During Super Bowl LIX, where the Chiefs suffered a stunning 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce recorded four receptions for a total of 39 receiving yards.

Kelce's performance during the year caught the eyes of many NFL fans. After watching his gameplay during the Super Bowl on February 9, several critics shared their thoughts online, saying his unimpressive display didn't "surprise" them.

"He hasn't played to his potential since beginning his romance with Swift and they went out the [night] before the game," one user wrote.

Part of what's made Kelce's magic on the field so enjoyable to watch is his connection with his quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

After their disappointing loss to the Eagles, who crushed their dreams of securing a three-peat in the NFL, Mahomes said he didn't know whether Kelce would return for another lap around the field or if he had seen enough.

"He's given so much to this team and to the NFL," Mahomes said. "And he's been such a joy, not only for me to work with, but for people to watch."

Mahomes continued, "And he knows he still has a lot of football left in him," before saying his tight end "always makes plays in the biggest moments."

Kelce addressed the Chiefs' performance in the Super Bowl during an episode of his "New Heights" podcast, admitting it wasn't what they expected.

He also commented on the retirement rumors, saying he was "kicking everything down the road" for the time being.

Kelce mentioned that playing in the NFL, especially during the postseason, can be mentally and physically exhausting.

“That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better, and it could drive you crazy at the same time," he explained. "Right now, it’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year, and I think that it happens as you tail off toward the back nine of your career, as (Scott Van Pelt) would say.”

He finished by letting his listeners know that he would spend "some time to figure it out" so that he could make a "wholehearted decision" that would be the best for himself and his teammates.