Jason Kelce may have just played his last ever game of professional football, after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The NFL star, widely considered to be one of the league’s best centers, capped off the 2023-24 football season after a difficult 32-9 wild card playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While the six-time All-Pro, 36, has yet to release a personal statement announcing the retirement news, both ESPN and NFL Network report he was emotional after the game, and brought up his retirement to his teammates.
After the game, Jason declined to be interviewed by reporters in the locker room, and was described by an ESPN broadcaster as “a man filled with emotion,” while his wife Kylie Kelce also tearfully looked out onto the field.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni had nothing but praise for Jason when speaking about potentially losing his center, and per ESPN, said: “I love him,” adding: “He’s special and I love him. He’s one of the most special guys I’ve been around. He’s always got a place here.”
Though Jason played the entirety of his football career with the Eagles, he briefly became a free agent last year when his contract expired after the Eagles lost the Super Bowl to his brother Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs, and played this season under a one-year contract.
