The China Mail - Kelce set for Chiefs extension, Tagovailoa cut by Dolphins

Tight end Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, will sign a contract worth up to $15 million, reports said, quashing speculation that the 36-year-old may retire from the sport.

Kelce, who is engaged pop music icon Taylor Swift, had reportedly been exploring potential moves with other NFL teams as he prepared to enter free agency, which begins on Wednesday.

However the veteran tight end has opted to renew his offensive partnership with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid for the 2026-2027 campaign.

While Wednesday is the official start of the NFL's free agency window, Monday marked the opening of a two-day window where teams are allowed to contact unrestricted free agents to negotiate a contract.

News of Kelce's extension with the Chiefs was one of a flurry of contracts reported.

Elsewhere, the Miami Dolphins announced they are releasing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as part of a radical roster overhaul.

Tagovailoa's departure will mean the club has to take on a record $99.2 million in "dead money" for the quarterback, who signed a mammoth four-year $212 million contract extension two years ago with $167 million guaranteed.

"I recently informed Tua and his representation that we are going to move in a new direction at the quarterback position and will be releasing him after the start of the new league year," Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said in a statement.

"As I shared with Tua, I have great respect for the person and player he is. On behalf of the Miami Dolphins, I expressed our gratitude for his many contributions, both on the field and in the community, during his six seasons in Miami.

"As we move forward, we will be focused on infusing competition across the roster and establishing a strong foundation for this team as we work towards building a sustained winner."

Tagovailoa's departure ends a frustrating six-season stint in Miami marked by repeated concussions and a failure to turn the Dolphins into a force.

The 28-year-old is not expected to be unemployed for long, however, with multiple reports on Monday saying he had agreed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

Y.Su--ThChM