Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce announced his retirement from football on Monday, wrapping up a stellar 13-year career that brought fame and notoriety rarely enjoyed by an offensive lineman.
The 36-year-old Super Bowl champ, selected to his seventh Pro Bowl in January, is the older brother of Travis Kelce, an all-time great tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs who is now just as well known as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.
That connection to the world’s most famous pop star helped make Jason Kelce one of football’s most identifiable interior linemen and hasn’t hurt his nice side hustles as a Madison Avenue pitchman and a successful podcaster.
When the Eagles were knocked out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Jan.15, speculation immediately began that Kelce would hang up his cleats.
And in the weeks that followed playoff elimination, Kelce appeared hell-bent on having fun and not being down in the dumps about a difficult season’s end.
He thoroughly enjoyed the rest of January and Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 11, partying — not always fully clothed — at the playoff games of his brother Travis.
When the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills in the conference semifinals on Jan. 21, Kelce’s act in the stands — to help 8-year-old Ella Piazza gain a brief-but-memorable audience with Swift — was almost as memorable as any play on the field.
Kelce’s shirtless antics weren’t totally embraced by his wife, Kylie Kelce.
“I’m like, ‘Hey I’m just letting you know what’s happening. I’m not asking for permission, I’m doing this,’” he said on “New Heights,” the hit podcast he co-hosts with Travis.
After Kansas City’s thrilling overtime win against the San Francisco 49ers at the Super Bowl on Feb. 15, Jason Kelce stole the show again, this time at the Chiefs’ post-game party.
He donned a Mexican wrestling mask which led to several viral videos. While Swift and Travis Kelce danced and hugged in one such clip, Jason Kelce was shown a few feet away, wildly gyrating next to a reveler in a marshmallow mask.
“It’s a very strong dichotomy of, on this side, two people in love and enjoying the moment together, panning to a complete Neanderthal — who is no longer connected with modern-day society,” Jason Kelce said on “New Heights.”
To non-football fans, Kelce is merely the player who shoves a football between his legs to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, triggering each Philadelphia play on offense.
But as center, Kelce has the crucial job of identifying the defense’s impending attack and quickly adjusting Philadelphia’s blocking scheme to match it.
Kelce is also at the literal and metaphoric center of Philadelphia’s famed “tush push” play, when he ushers a mass of green humanity charging forward to pick up 1 yard or less. With Kelce leading the way, other players line up behind Hurts and push the QB forward with the ball.
As silly as the play’s name is and seemingly minimal its gain, the “tush push” is one of football’s most well known and controversial moves.
It’s often called on fourth-and 1, meaning if the Eagles don’t gain 36 inches of real estate, they lose possession. Critics of the play claim it doesn’t resemble football and could be dangerous for players.
“Listen, ban it. I really, at this point, I don’t care,” Kelce said during a December episode of “New Heights.”
Jason Kelce grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and played college football at Cincinnati before being taken by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
He’s endeared himself to Philadelphia’s notoriously tough-to-please fan base with his performance between the lines and fun-loving, off-the-field persona.
The Associated Press named Kelce football’s best center in the 2017 season, which culminated in the 2018 Super Bowl that was won in dramatic fashion by Philadelphia over the New England Patriots.
Adding to his Philadelphia lore, Kelce donned a “Mummers” costume — a beloved tradition of Philadelphia celebrations — while chugging beers and giving a profane victory speech at the Eagles’ 2018 Super Bowl victory parade.
Kelce helped the Eagles to another Super Bowl, just last year, but Philadelphia fell short in another title-game thriller, this time to brother Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs.
This is a developing story. Please check back here for updates.
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