Jason Kelce Retires From NFL After 13 Years With Eagles

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Eagles legend and all time NFL great center Jason Kelce will retire after 13 seasons, he announced Monday afternoon in a lyrical and impassioned elegy to his historic career.

Kelce was deeply emotional, struggling to get out the opening words of his announcement which recounted his first football games as a middle schooler. "Whenever I smell the clippings of fresh grass, I am brought back to this day," he said.

The 36-year-old ran through a list of his coaches and teachers from his hometown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio who he said were pivotal in making him who he was.

"Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt...I could hit somebody, run around like a crazed lunatic, and then get told I did a good job," he added.

The much anticipated retirement decision came during a press conference Monday afternoon at the Birds' NovaCare Complex in south Philadelphia. His mother Donna, wife Kylie, and brother Travis were all in attendance, along with head coach Nick Sirianni and other Eagles leadership.

Over the course of his speech, read from his phone between steadying deep breaths, Kelce recounted the great moments, the Super Bowls, the Philly special, the Art Museum speech. "That wasn't my speech, that was Philadelphia's," he said.

Though he thanked all of his coaches, he spoke glowingly of Sirianni at length, thanking him for sending him kegs of beer in the offseason to convince him to keep playing the past two season and praising him as a leader and a man.

"I have truly enjoyed my time with you, coach," he said tearily, addressing Siranni directly. "Sometimes the flowers get blown back a bit, but the roots remain. And I can't wait to watch them blossom back again this season."

Rumors have been swirling that Kelce may have played his final NFL game ever since the Eagles anticlimactic first round exit from the playoffs in January.

Original reports indicated that Kelce had told teammates in the locker room that he was done, but that was walked back and in the days to follow it became clear that Kelce was still mulling it over.

"No Keg videos this year, I have come to a decision and will address it at a press conference this afternoon," he shared on Twitter Monday morning.

Kelce also considered retirement after the end of last season, but ultimately returned to the Birds on a one-year deal. Recently on his "New Heights" podcast with his brother Travis, Kelce said that it was not his intention to "draw this thing out."

"I'm not trying to be dramatic," he said.

The seven-time Pro Bowler helped lead the Birds to two Super Bowls, including the 2018 championship. Analysts widely regard him as one of the greatest centers to ever play in the NFL and a future Hall of Famer. While Kelce is indeed on the older side for an offensive lineman, he remains near the top of his game. Pro Football Reference gave him an overall "approximate value" of 13 for the 2023 season, close in line with the score of 14 he had earned in four of the previous five seasons.