Jason Kelce, perhaps the NFL’s best center, is calling it a career.
Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ season-ending playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, Kelce informed teammates that he's retiring following his 13th season, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported.
ESPN first reported the news.
Kelce, the older brother of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is a seven-time Pro Bowler, six-time All-Pro and one-time Super Bowl champion.
In the aftermath of the Eagles’ loss, Kelce looked emotional on the field and declined to speak to reporters.
When asked about the prospects of losing his center, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t hold back.
“He’s special, and I love him,” Sirianni said Monday night. “He’s one of the most special guys I’ve been around.”
The 36-year-old Kelce, likely bound for the Hall of Fame one day, has weighed his playing future over the past few seasons.
Following a Super Bowl loss last season to his brother’s Chiefs, he was undecided in the immediate aftermath. A year prior, Kelce announced he was returning after Sirianni sent him a couple of kegs of beer to entice him to return.
This time around, Kelce is moving on.
He leaves behind a playing career likely at the peak of his popularity. His New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce podcast is wildly popular, and he’s found himself in Campbell’s Soup commercials with his brother and mom. He was even selected as one of People’s Sexiest Men of the Year.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Kelce stuck around the game in the booth, either, as he received positive reviews while taking part in last offseason’s NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop.
Articulate and affable, Kelce was a bona fide star in Philly, before his acclaim grew to a national level.
However, he was a terror on the gridiron since he was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, starting all 16 games for Andy Reid’s Eagles.
He played in 193 career regular-season games and 12 in the postseason, including starting for the Eagles in Super Bowl LII, which saw Philadelphia defeat New England, 41-33, for the franchise’s only Super Bowl triumph.
One of the game's finest characters and finest players is bidding the league adieu.