Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce officially announces retirement

Jason Kelce officially announces retirement CBS Philadelphia, PA After 13 seasons, center Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles has formally retired from the NFL. At the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia on Monday, Kelce gave a tearful 45-minute press conference that was attended by his brother, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, and parents, Ed and Donna. The 36-year-old started crying as soon as she put on a sleeveless Eagles T-shirt. "Let's see how long this lasts," Kelce said.

In a tearful press conference, Kelce recapped his incredible journey with the Eagles and expressed gratitude to everyone who had supported him from his early years in Philadelphia to the top. Kelce played 13 seasons for the Eagles, won a Super Bowl and released two Christmas albums. In addition to winning a Super Bowl and putting out two Christmas CDs, Kelce spent 13 seasons as an Eagle. "Playing my entire career in one city has always been my dream. And even if I had tried, I couldn't have imagined a better one or a greater fit," Kelce remarked. "I'm excited for the upcoming prospects and challenges, even if I have no idea what lies ahead. And I'm aware that I'll always be able to connect with other Philadelphians through the things I've learned throughout my stay here." In the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Philadelphia selected University of Cincinnati product Kelce. Andy Reid, Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni, and Chip Kelly were the four head coaches he played for. Throughout his career, Kelce was selected for seven Pro Bowls and six All-Pro selections. He and 2023 were both. I'll be honest: I'm officially overrated. Extremely overvalued, "Kelece stated. "But getting here required a great deal of perseverance and hard work. Throughout my entire career, I have been the underdog, and I sincerely hope that I still am. I was happiest when I proved someone else wrong. "If you want Jason to do something, all you have to do is tell him he can't," my mother used to say, and she still does. And that was more accurate than I would want to acknowledge. I love skeptics since they fed my inner fire." In 2029, Kelce will be qualified to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie wrote a lengthy statement that was uploaded to X, saying, "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." For thirteen years, he gave us all everything. And he carried it out in a really genuine manner. Jason was a fantastic football player who could have played anywhere and is sure to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, has a player, a city, and a team ever had a more ideal union?" Highly rated offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland of the Eagles thanked Kelce in a social media post. Kelce on Super Bowl LII parade speech In Philadelphia, both on and off the field, Kelce has established himself as a legend. His 2018 tirade during the Eagles' Super Bowl parade will go down in sports history as one of the most famous ones. He adopted the city as his second home. The 36-year-old claimed on Monday that Philadelphia owns the historic speech, not him. "I will always remember the parade and its significance to Philadelphia." How happy our community was, and how many people it provided closure for. That victory was further enhanced by the testimonies of the supporters who had been waiting for that day for decades, according to Kelce. "I recall meeting a woman on the way who had promised to bring the ashes of a deceased relative."