After 13 NFL seasons, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday.
Sporting a sleeveless shirt, the seven-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement at a press conference in Philadelphia, where his parents, wife, and Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce, were in attendance.
Kelce reportedly told teammates after the team’s playoff loss to the Buccaneers in January that he was retiring, and now it’s official. He will definitely be a Hall of Famer when he’s eligible in 2029.
The six-time All-Pro Bowler won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in the 2017 season and returned to the big game during the 2022 season, where he would lose to his brother, Travis, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The sixth-round pick out of Cincinnati in the 2011 NFL Draft, who was very emotional during his press conference, has the most consecutive starts and the most regular-season games played by an offensive lineman in franchise history. He’s started every game he’s played in.
“It is difficult to put into words how much Jason Kelce has meant to everyone in this organization, to the City of Philadelphia, and to our fans,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said. “He gave everything he had to all of us for 13 years, and he did it in a way that was truly authentic. Jason was an incredible football player, a future Hall of Famer who would have been successful anywhere. But has there ever been a more perfect marriage between a player, a city, and a team?”
It’s not easy to play in Philadelphia; the fans expect a lot, and the media is harsh, but Kelce loved every moment of it.
“Some people struggle to play in this city,” Kelce said. “They can’t handle the boos, the media, or our fans. I consider it a great blessing to play in the most passionate sports town in America. The sense of urgency in this city to win has pushed this organization and has fueled it to take chances, fix problems, and work tirelessly in an effort to win. At times, you’d hate it as an athlete, especially those new to our city. But when you’ve been through it enough, you learn to appreciate it. No one celebrates their own like the city of Philadelphia.”
Kelce and Philadelphia were perfect together; he will be missed by the Philly faithful, and he will be missed by the team on the field, but all good things must come to an end.
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