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After 13 renowned seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, veteran center Jason Kelce has decided to hang up his cleats. Kelce’s retirement comes on the heels of the Eagles’ season-ending wildcard loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.
According to sources close to the team, Kelce made the announcement to his Eagles teammates in the locker room following the emotional defeat. Head coach Nick Sirianni offered heartfelt praise for the 34-year-old Kelce, stating “He’s special and I love him. He’s one of the most special guys I’ve been around. He’s always got a place here.”
The 2022 season marked Kelce’s 12th as the Eagles’ starting center. His stellar play earned him five All-Pro honors and five Pro Bowl selections over the course of his career. Kelce spent his entire NFL career in Philadelphia after being drafted in the 6th round in 2011 out of Cincinnati.
Rumblings of potential retirement first surfaced in Kelce’s behind-the-scenes Amazon Prime documentary, which gave fans a glimpse into his internal debate leading up to the 2022 season. With Kelce set to become a free agent in March, Monday’s game officially closed the book on his time with the Eagles. He retires as one of the most accomplished centers in NFL history.