Philadelphia's revered center, Jason Kelce, has decided to hang up his boots in the NFL, according to reports from ESPN and other prominent US media outlets. This decision follows the Philadelphia Eagles' disappointing exit from the playoffs, where they succumbed to a 32-9 defeat against Tampa Bay in the first round.
Sources, as per ESPN, revealed that Kelce shared the news of his retirement with his teammates in the locker room after the Eagles' season ended abruptly. The 36-year-old, who is the elder brother of Kansas City Chiefs' tight end Travis Kelce, displayed visible emotion on the field. Uncharacteristically, he opted not to address reporters after the game, expressing his disappointment with a somber, "No, guys, not today," before leaving the locker room.
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Kelce, a stalwart in his position, had contemplated retirement in previous offseasons. However, even in his 13th season, he continued to shine as one of the premier players in his role. The six-time All-Pro notably secured a Super Bowl victory with the Eagles in 2017 and played in last season's Super Bowl in February 2023, where the Eagles faced off against the Chiefs. This historic matchup marked the first time brothers, Jason and Travis Kelce, competed against each other in a Super Bowl.
The Eagles' head coach, Nick Siriani, and Kelce's teammates had anticipated this moment. Reflecting on Kelce's departure, Siriani stated, "I love him... He's special, and I love him. He's one of the most special guys I've been around." Tackle Lane Johnson echoed the sentiment, revealing that Kelce had hinted at retirement before the playoffs. "He's one of my brothers. I never had a brother growing up. I was an only child. So these guys are my family. I love him," Johnson expressed, acknowledging Kelce's unparalleled athleticism on the field.
In his 2022 documentary series on the Prime Video streaming service, Kelce candidly discussed the toll the game had taken on him. "There have been little things that are not big things yet but are going to turn into big things the longer I play," he admitted. Despite the challenges, Kelce re-signed with the Eagles on a one-year contract on March 15, and during the sixth week of the season, he broke the franchise record for the most consecutive starts with his 145th appearance.
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