PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is officially retiring.
A living legend in Philadelphia, Kelce will step down after 13 seasons with the Birds. During his time in Philly, Kelce was a six-time First-Team All-Pro selection and made seven Pro Bowls.
In Kelce's tenure, the Eagles went to a pair of Super Bowls, winning one title in 2018, after which Kelce cemented his status as a Philadelphia legend with a fiery, profane, and unforgettable speech at the end of the team's victory parade through the streets of the city (all while dressed in a mummer's costume).
Kelce announced his retirement at an emotional press conference Monday afternoon after hinting about his plans on social media earlier in the day.
"I am retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Eagles," Kelce said at the end of an emotional speech that featured several long pauses so he could gather himself. "Thank you Philadelphia. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you for letting me represent this city. For allowing me in your home every Sunday. It's been a privilege. You have been so good to me and my family."
After Kelce's 41-minute speech concluded, the Eagles released the following statement from owner Jeffrey Lurie on social media.
"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," Lurie's statement 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?
"His grit and determination, from being a walk-on linebacker at Cincinnati to an undersized sixth-round pick in 2011, are unparalleled. His intelligence and versatility, from starting as a rookie center in a lockout season to thriving under multiple coaches and offensive schemes, set him apart from others at his position. The genuine love and care he showed his coaches, teammates, and staff endeared him to all he worked alongside. The passion and intensity that he poured into everything he did, both on and off the field, made a city fall in love."
Kelce openly cried through the bulk of his announcement, which lasted more than a half-hour but remained riveting throughout. Kelce thanked all of his coaches at every level of athletics, his family, his teammates, the staff at the NovaCare Complex, and even his high school band director.
He also expressed his gratitude to Eagles fans and the city where he's built a life in addition to a successful playing career. He said when he was drafted by the Eagles in 2011, his agent told him he was going to fit in great, and that Philly was his kind of town.
"No one appreciates their own like the city of Philadelphia," Kelce said. "Athletes become demi-gods. They will love you in this city the way you love it. You will be loved if you go above and beyond and show that you care -- because THEY care.
“Some people struggle to play in this city. They can’t handle the boos, the media, or our fans. I consider it a blessing to play in the most passionate sports town in America.. If you’re not performing, they will let you know. But as long as you show effort, they will love you. They’re not gonna accept your excuses and soft-ass nonsense.”
After the Eagles' loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wildcard in January, reports circulated that Kelce had told his teammates he was retiring after the game, but days later he said he would take some time to think things over before making an official decision.
A sixth-round pick in 2011 out of the University of Cincinnati, Kelce evolved into one of the most-athletic centers in NFL history. He played under four coaches -- Andy Reid, Chip Kelly, Doug Pederson, and Nick Sirianni, all of whom he thanked profusely-- but has often given most of the credit for his success to long-time Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who has been Kelce's position coach for the majority of his career.
Kelce took special time to thank Stoutland on Monday, crediting him for making Kelce one of the best at his position.
"I am lucky; my whole life, I have been surrounded by people who believe in me," Kelce said. "My father, my mother, my brother...but during my darkest times in Philadelphia, when everyone seemed to want me gone, (Stoutland) believed in me."
After the 2022 season, when the Eagles fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Kelce contemplated retirement in the offseason before signing a one-year, $14 million contract to return to Philly.
"Nick (Sirianni) would send me a keg of beer all those years to get me to come back," Kelce joked. "He knew the way to my heart."
Now that his retirement is official, Kelce will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2029.
What's next for Kelce? He's got plenty of post-NFL options.
Kelce hosts the popular New Heights podcast with his brother Travis, the Chiefs' star tight end and infamous paramour of pop star Taylor Swift.
There have been reports that Jason Kelce is considering a post-NFL career in television; he reportedly spoke with representatives from FOX and ESPN prior to this year's Super Bowl, and Front Office Report said Amazon, CBS and NBC could court him now that he's officially retired.
Kelce has also said he plans to remain in Philadelphia, where he and his wife, Kylie, reside with their three daughters. It's a near certainty that he could have some role with the team moving forward. He also has plenty of side businesses, including an apparel line, interest in a truck accessory company, and beef farming.
