Philadelphia Eagles' Center Jason Kelce Retires After 13-Year NFL Career
Philadelphia Eagles centre Jason Kelce has announced his retirement after 13 years playing in the National Football League (NFL). During his time with the Eagles, Kelce became a beloved figure by the team's fanbase and won a Super Bowl in February 2018, earned seven Pro Bowl selections and was named a first-team All Pro six times.
Kelce Seen Emotional At Press Conference
Kelce, 36, was seen to be very emotional during the press conference that announced his retirement, saying: “I announce that I am retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Thank you, Philadelphia, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for letting me represent this city and allowing me into your homes every Sunday…Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt... I love football.”
Retirement Rumours
However, the star's retirement is not a complete surprise to fans of the NFL with rumours of his retirement circulating through the community for a long time. These were only made more convincing by the player’s tearful response to the Eagles’ 32-9 playoff loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January which ended the season for the Eagles.
Legacy
Although many fans will be sad to see Kelce stepping off of the field, this is not the last that we will see of him. Kelce hosts a podcast with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce titled “New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce”. Kelce’s connection with his fans was emphasised by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who said in a statement on X: “For the millions of fans who never had the privilege of meeting Jason, he had such a deep understanding and genuine appreciation for what was important to them. Nothing exemplified that better than his Super Bowl parade speech that brought to the surface the emotions that so many of us had been holding inside for years. Today is a bittersweet day, because it is hard to imagine the Eagles taking the field without Jason Kelce in uniform."
Kelce leaves behind an incredible legacy as he takes a step away from the world of competitive football, including being the Eagles record holder for the most consecutive starts at 156 starts, and the most regular season games played by an offensive linesman with 193 games. As the sixth-round pick from the 2011 NFL Draft bids farewell, Philadelphia celebrates the incredible career of their beloved underdog.
