{"id":33386,"date":"2024-03-11T11:27:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T15:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=33386"},"modified":"2024-03-11T11:27:13","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T15:27:13","slug":"eagles-jason-kelce-officially-retires-after-13-seasons-in-a-tearful-goodbye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2024\/03\/eagles-jason-kelce-officially-retires-after-13-seasons-in-a-tearful-goodbye.html","title":{"rendered":"Eagles’ Jason Kelce Officially Retires After 13 Seasons in a Tearful Goodbye"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Eagles star center Jason Kelce, one of the key leaders for a team that\u2019s made six postseason appearances and two Super Bowl trips over the past seven seasons, recently announced his retirement in a tear-filled speech, closing the book on a Hall of Fame career. Kelce, wearing a sleeveless Eagles T-shirt, said during a 45-minute speech that he had to stop many times as he was overtaken by emotion, \u201cI\u2019ve been asked many times why did I choose football — what drew me to the game — and I never have an answer that gets it right. The best way I could explain it is what draws you to your favorite song, your favorite book. It\u2019s what it makes you feel. The seriousness of it. The intensity of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelce continued, \u201cStepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt. There was a visceral feeling with football, unlike any sport. The hairs on my arms would stand up. I could hit somebody, run around like a crazed lunatic and then get told, \u2018Good job.\u2019 I love football.\u201d A sixth-round draft selection in 2011, Kelce, 36, played his entire 13-year career with the Eagles. He was selected to seven Pro Bowls in 13 seasons and was named first-team All-Pro for the sixth time in 2023, proof that he played at an elite level up to his final snap.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cIt has always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city. I couldn\u2019t have dreamt a better one if I tried.\u201d Since the 1970 merger, he is the only center who has won a Super Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors six times. Kelce\u2019s parents, Donna and Ed, were in attendance, as was his wife Kylie and brother Travis Kelce, the star Kansas City Chiefs tight end who was wearing sunglasses inside the auditorium. At various points over the past several years, Kelce had contemplated retirement, but it became clear that things would be different this time around when, according to ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter, he told teammates his playing days were over after the wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers in January.<\/p>\n