On Monday, the legendary 36-year-old Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce confirmed in a press conference that he is retiring from football after 13 seasons with the team.
Kelce, known for being an emotional leader on Philadelphia's offensive line, left a tear-filled message to his fans.
Jason Kelce Announces Retirement
According to US Weekly, after breaking down in tears at a press conference on Monday, Kelce joked, "Not a good start, here we go," before explaining why he chose to play football over every other sport.
The athlete recalled being drafted into the NFL, and he even dubbed to his mother, Donna Kelce, a "representative" of parents who "sacrifice so much for their children." He even mentioned his bond with brother Travis Kelce during the Eagles' heartbreaking 2022 Super Bowl defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kelce also gave a sweet shoutout to his "beautiful" wife, Kylie Kelce, who remembered their first Tinder date. He said he is retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. He claimed that he admitted that today, he was officially overrated.
Furthermore, he expressed that it took a lot of hard work and determination to get where he was now, as he has been the underdog his entire career. He ended his speech with a thank you to the city of Philadelphia.
"It has always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city. I couldn't have dreamt a better one and a better fit if I tried," he said.
Hours before his press conference, Kelce teased his decision on X, formerly Twitter. He wrote that there are no keg videos this year as he will announce his decision at a press conference, referring to Eagles coach Nick Sirianni giving him a keg of beer to persuade him not to retire.
Following the Eagles' heartbreaking playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, January 15, Kelce decided to hang up his uniform. The center cried on the sidelines after the Buccaneers destroyed the Eagles' hopes of qualifying for Super Bowl LVIII.
During the broadcast, ESPN announcer and former NFL star Troy Aikman said as the cameras panned to Kelce, "That looks like a man filled with emotion."
That same evening, Kelce's wife was also emotional in the stands. Kylie was crouched in her seat, her hands covering her mouth in shock as she watched her husband on the field.
The couple's reactions sparked rumors that Kelce might retire at the end of the 2023 season. Several media sources said he told his teammates in the locker room after the game that he was retiring before making the announcement.
Fans React on Social Media
Several members of the Philadelphia Eagles sat in silence and sobbed as they watched their beloved center retire in front of a few TVs in the team's cafeteria. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo posted the photo of the mood on Monday at the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia, where the Eagles have held practices since 2013.
Garafolo tweeted and said that was the scene during Kelce's speech in the #Eagles cafeteria. He said that they were quiet the whole time except for the sound of people crying. Some supporters may have understood the reaction, but some believe it was too much.
"He didn't die, lol," one user tweeted, while another shared: "Please."
"That's all the information you ever need to know about Jason Kelce and the kind of man and leader he is," a different person said.
Another user expressed a similar thought and said that it shows the mutual respect between Kelce and the "little guys,'' the cafeteria workers, security guards, and janitors.
