In a touching announcement at the Eagles facility on Monday, Jason Kelce, the cherished icon of the Philadelphia Eagles, officially declared his retirement from the NFL.
Jason Kelce Tears Up in NFL
His heartfelt goodbye unfolded through a 40-minute speech, marking the end of an impressive 13-season career.
Joined by his family—parents Donna and Ed, brother and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis, and wife Kylie, seated in the front row—Kelce, the former center, struggled to hold back his emotions as he began expressing profound gratitude.
In a light-hearted manner, the 36-year-old Jason, with tears welling up, humorously remarked, “Thanks for coming, guys. Let’s see how long this lasts…” The atmosphere momentarily lightened as he playfully added, “Not a good start, there we go.” This poignant moment captured the essence of Kelce bidding farewell to his impactful journey in the NFL, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of Eagles fans.
After captivating the audience with 36 minutes of anecdotes and tributes, Jason Kelce finally uttered the words everyone had been anticipating, and perhaps, some were apprehensive about.
“So, here we are today, as I announce my retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles,” Jason declared, making a valiant effort to restrain further tears.
“And today, I must confess, I am officially overrated. Wildly overrated. But damn, it took an immense amount of hard work and determination to get here.”
Selected as a sixth-round draft pick by Cincinnati in 2011, Jason, with 193 appearances for Philly, earned the title of “First-Team All-Pro” six times and Pro Bowler seven times, despite grappling with numerous injuries.
Remarkably, he hasn’t missed a single game in nine years.
As for Jason’s future, he openly admitted uncertainty about where life would lead him next.
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“I don’t know what’s next,” he admitted. “But I look forward to the new opportunities and challenges that await. And I know that I carry with me the lessons from my time here. Forever, we shall all share the bond of being Philadelphians. That’s all I got.”