When Travis Kelce inked a new deal with the Chiefs back in early March, it ended months of fan speculation about whether the star tight end would hang up his cleats. But according to General Manager Brett Veach, the decision was never really in doubt—at least not inside the building.

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show this week, Veach revealed that Kelce’s commitment to return for a 14th season came far earlier than anyone outside the organization realized. In fact, it happened just one day after the Chiefs’ final game of the season in Las Vegas.

“We played our last game in Vegas, and when we got back we had player meetings and exit interviews,” Veach explained. “Trav came in and basically said, ‘I’m going to take a few weeks off, but I’m not going out like this. Let’s stay in touch and figure something out.’”

While free agency chatter kept the public guessing, Veach said the message was crystal clear from the start. “We knew basically the day after our last game. He made it known to coach Reid and me that there was no way he was going out like this.”

Though Veach stopped short of calling this season a “last dance,” he emphasized how important it is for Kelce to be alongside Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback recovers from a torn ACL. The duo, he noted, is fueled by the memory of a rare down year—and determined to ensure it’s just a footnote in an otherwise legendary Kansas City run.