Jason Kelce isn’t afraid to indicate his emotional facet, on and off the sector.
During the Wednesday, January 17, episode of his and Travis Kelce‘s “New Heights” podcast, Jason, 36, opened up about playing in what was likely his final game with the Philadelphia Eagles after 13 years. Jason’s workforce confronted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild card sport on Monday, January 15, finally shedding 32-9.
“It’s frustrating. Really, really frustrating,” Jason mentioned. “I love everybody in that building, all the teammates, all those coaches, so much. You put a lot of hard work in, you really do, and when it doesn’t pan out … it’s a heck of a collapse. Started out 10-1 and finished losing six of our last seven games. … Rough way to finish her out this year.”
Travis, 34, reminded his brother that there are “a lot of guys on that team that everybody loves,” saying, “It was just tough to watch you guys go down like that.”
Jason Kelce has been a fixture of the Philadelphia Eagles offense for greater than a decade, however he’s been lifelike in regards to the thought of retirement. Kelce was drafted in 2011, turning into the primary rookie in Eagles historical past to start out all 16 common season video games at middle. He helped lead the Eagles to their first-ever Super […]
Jason gave “credit to the Bucs” for taking part in an ideal sport, however he wasn’t making any excuses for his personal workforce. “Expectations were a lot more than what ended up happening. Bottom line is nobody was good enough this year, down the stretch,” he mentioned. “I wasn’t. Players weren’t. Coaches weren’t. It’s a collective. Whenever there’s that big of a letdown it’s more than just any one person or any one thing so … it’s frustrating to say the least.”
Travis mirrored on witnessing the “emotional ending” to the Eagles’ season. “I think everybody in the football world felt this one,” he added. “Clearly a lot of emotion at the end of this game for you guys, but I can attest for it because I was feeling it. I know Kylie, mom, dad, everybody that was at the game was feeling it. And I know all the friends and family that I got texts from … they were all feeling it, man.”
Jason Kelce Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
As the clock ran out on Monday night time, Jason was seen getting emotional on the sideline whereas chatting with offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. He later walked over to the stands to greet his spouse, Kylie Kelce, and pa Ed Kelce.
Jason’s mother, Donna Kelce, was additionally in Florida for the sport. In footage shared by way of social media, Jason was noticed hugging Donna, Kylie and Ed as he exited the stadium.
“Didn’t want to get emotional, but what can you do. … I don’t know what next year is gonna look like with the team, coaches, players,” Jason mentioned on Wednesday when requested for his “final thoughts” on the sport. “Obviously, like [Eagles offensive tackle] Lane [Johnson] said, there’s gonna be some changes, for sure. But I just want to make sure everybody knows how much I love and respect and appreciate the effort and energy they put into the year. I know the outcome, Philadelphia, was not acceptable. But I love each and every person in that room and I’ll always believe in them. I’ll always go to battle with each and every one of them.”
Travis referred to as his brother “a great leader” earlier than Jason addressed his NFL future. (ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday, January 16, that Jason instructed his teammates in a postgame dialog that he plans to retire.)
“I didn’t announce what I was doing on purpose … but people can kind of feel body language and stuff,” Jason famous on the podcast. “I just don’t think you’re in the position after a game like that to really make that decision, I just don’t. There’s too much emotion in the moment, there’s too much going down in the moment to really fully grasp that decision.”
Jason insisted that he’s not “trying to be dramatic” or “draw this thing out” on the subject of asserting his retirement. “It’s just something that I think when it’s time to officially announce what’s happening in the future, it’ll be done in a way that’s definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me and what has led to the career that I’ve had,” he defined. “I don’t think that it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right after a game like that. … In the future, there’ll be something said, I guess.”
Jason confirmed that he “did address the team,” giving a glimpse of how the dialog went down. “‘I got belief in every single one of you guys, cherish the moments you have in this league.’ … A lot of guys [were] like, ‘If that was your last game, I feel sorry for you.’ Don’t feel sorry for me, motherf—kers,” he mentioned earlier than getting choked up.
Travis inspired Jason to let it out as he gathered his ideas. “Either way, I think I truly appreciated everybody in that room and [would] go to war with them any day of the week … I think there was a lot of emotion in the room, for sure,” he mentioned. “I don’t know what the future holds for anybody in that room right now.”
Jason mentioned that the Eagles can be beginning their exit interview course of now that their season is over. “We’ll all be at the edge of our f—kin’ seat waiting on what decision you end up making, big guy,” Travis quipped. “I promise you that.”
The Eagles middle was drafted in 2011 and helped the workforce win their first-ever Super Bowl in 2018. Jason reached the NFL championship once more in 2023, however his workforce was defeated by Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs. He thought-about retiring after the Super Bowl loss, a choice that was explored within the Prime Video documentary Kelce, however Jason returned to the sector final yr. In Week 6 of the 2023-24 season, Jason broke the Eagles document for essentially the most consecutive begins together with his 145th sport.
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