“This is where it’s going to go off the rails,” Kelce said at his retirement press conference before his emotional comments about his brother.
Jason Kelce emotionally reflected on his unbreakable bond with brother Travis Kelce while announcing his retirement from the NFL.
In a tearful press conference March 4, the Philadelphia Eagles star officially confirmed he was saying goodbye to football after 13 seasons in the league. Jason Kelce spoke at length about his career in the NFL and what the sport has meant to him and his family.
During one particularly poignant moment, Jason Kelce, who wore a sleeveless Eagles shirt, broke down in tears as he recalled his team losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 Super Bowl.
“I won’t forget falling short to the Chiefs,” he said. After taking a few breaths, he prepared the crowd in the room for more tears, telling them, “This is where it’s going to go off the rails.”
Jason Kelce said as time ran out on the clock and the game ended he felt torn between “immense heartbreak” for himself and his teammates and “the amount of pride I had that my brother climbed the mountaintop once again.”
He went on to describe their small family. He said that he and the Chiefs tight end do not have any cousins and only one aunt and uncle.
“It was really my brother and I our whole lives,” he shared.
The 36-year-old continued, “We did almost everything together: competed, fought, laughed, cried and learned from each other. We invented games, imagined ourselves as the star players of that time.”
He said that he and his younger brother always dreamed of playing in the NFL.
“We won countless Super Bowls in our minds before ever leaving the house,” he said between sobs.
Although they were competitive, they always made sure to support each other. He remembered them attending each other’s games and cheering with a Capri Sun that their mom, Donna Kelce, had packed.
“There is no chance I’d be here without the bond Travis and I share,” he gushed. “It made me stronger, tougher, smarter and taught me the values of cooperation, loyalty, patience and understanding.”
Jason Kelce sweetly added, “It’s only too poetic I found my career being fulfilled in the City of Brotherly Love. I knew that relationship all too well.”
After praising wife Kylie Kelce and speaking more about the highlights of his time with the Eagles, he ended the press conference. As he wiped away tears, Jason Kelce immediately walked from the podium and embraced his brother.
He then hugged his mom and dad, Donna and Ed Kelce, before giving Kylie Kelce a kiss.
The couple share three daughters: Wyatt, 4, Elliotte, who turned 3 on March 4, and Bennie, 1.
Nearly two months ago, ESPN and the NFL Network reported that Jason Kelce had privately told his teammates after their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Jan. 15 that this would be his final season.
But, he later appeared on “The Big Podcast with Shaq” on Feb. 12 and said at the time that he was “still figuring it out” in regards to his future involvement with the team.
It seems he finally came to a decision over the past few weeks. During his final Eagles press conference he said, “Thirteen seasons in Philadelphia, and I look back at a career filled with ups and downs.”
The center is a future Hall of Famer and won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2018. Football fans will still get to see the beloved player often even though he won’t be suiting up anymore. He currently hosts a weekly podcast with Travis Kelce, “New Heights,” and will likely continue to root for his brother at upcoming games.
