A lot of things have happened this week, and that too outside of the field. Travis Klece has finally spoken up about his future. There's more. A certain 49ers players is rumored to be on his way out of the team, while Seahawks star Sam Darnold is dishing out an honest verdict after the team lost to the Rams. Let's dive right into it.

Kelce Gets Honest Over NFL Future

When the Chiefs lost to the Eagles in the 2025 Super Bowl, many thought this would be the last of Travis Kelce, but he stayed for the 2025 season. And so far, he's going strong. 631 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, the question remains: would this be his last?

Answering that on Friday, Kelce said: "I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity, whether I come back or not. Or whether they want me back or not. I'd like to make that decision before they've got to get draft picks and free agency opens to fill the roster appropriately.” 

Kelce is under a 2‑year, $34.25 million contract extension that ends after this season. "All that will be at the end of the season. I won't be thinking about it until then," he added. Guess Chiefs fans will just have to wait.

Smelling Salts Still the Real Deal

The NFL banned teams from supplying smelling salts following an FDA warning on August 6, 2024, citing safety concerns and concussion risks. It meant players can still use personal salts, but clubs cannot provide them during games or practices, and that is what’s happening. And one 49ers players had a cheeky remark about it.

In a recent interview, George Little admitted to vowing‌ to empty an “old-school” bucket of cheese balls and fill it with smelling salts for the regular season.

49ers Expected to Part Ways with Major Star

The 49ers are 7-4 despite injury struggles, and now, they might be dropping one injured player. According to the New York Times, Brandon Aiyuk might not be a 49er after this season ends. He suffered a knee injury last year, and even though he is supposed to return later this year, the relationship is strained.

As a result, it seems like the team voided his 2026 guaranteed money, citing a failure to meet his contractual obligations. He has chosen not to contest the decision, clearing the way for a likely release. If true, this could allow the 49ers to recover most of his 2026 pay, going up to $24.935 M, including $1.215 M base salary, $100,000 workout bonus, and per-game roster bonuses.

Sam Darnold Shares Blame Over Seahawks' Loss

Despite a string of positive performances, the Seahawks lost to the Rams last weekend. Going into Week 11, both the Rams and the Seahawks were at 7-2, meaning whoever won the tie would likely top NFC West. Losing 19-21 meant the Seahawks lost a golden opportunity, and Sam Darnold isn't happy.

"It's unacceptable," Darnold said. "We understand as an offense, we have to be better, I have to be better, protecting the football. We're doing everything that we can in practice, and when the game comes, to try to take care of the football a little bit better."

This came after he threw four interceptions against the Rams. Considering the Seahawks dismantled the best offensive in the league (Houston Texans) just a few weeks ago, Week 11 was a letdown.

But not all is lost. Who knows? Week 12 might just shake things up once again. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar