Eagles center Jason Kelce has decided to hang up his cleats after 13 seasons in the NFL. The first ballot Hall of Famer made the retirement announcement on Monday during an emotional press conference.
After 13 NFL seasons, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce fights back tears during his retirement speech. pic.twitter.com/KY6TU9xuUd
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 4, 2024
The center widely regarded as one of the greatest of all-time at his position made his sixth first-team All Pro team this season. Only 54 players have ever made six All Pro teams — all 54 of those players are in the Hall of Fame.
He owns the Eagles franchise record in consecutive games played. He has also made seven Pro Bowls and won the Super Bowl in 2018.
Kelce had contemplated retirement before the 2023 season but signed a one-year deal for one last hurrah. On his podcast New Heights — which he hosts with his brother Travis Kelce — he had hinted at retirement throughout the season. It's one of the reasons the podcast was created in the first place, before the 2022 NFL season — in order to give Kelce a landing pad at a career outside of football.
The Kelce brothers famously met in the Super Bowl in 2023, with the Eagles blowing a halftime lead in a 38-35 loss against the Chiefs. It was the younger Kelce's second Super Bowl victory.
No pair of brothers have ever both been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both Kelce brothers will almost surely break a record five years after whenever Travis decides to hang up his cleats.
