As Jason Kelce enjoys the NFL playoffs, rumors of his retirement continue

Jason Kelce was seen shirtless downing beers as he watched the Chiefs beat the Bills in Buffalo in the AFC Divisional round. Whilst rumors of his retirement circulate, he seems to be enjoying being a fan for the moment.

Despite reports from Adam Schefter, rumors are swirling that Jason Kelce hasn't yet made a decision on his future, telling his brother Travis, "I just don't think you're in a position after a game like that to really, you know, make that decision," on their podcast, New Heights.

Per MLFootball on X, Jason's decision is far from made as he, "does not want to go out on that game," referring to the Eagles' awful loss to the Buccaneers in the NFL playoffs.

MLFootball claims he has been told Kelce is looking to go out on top and that there could be a long wait until a decision is made.

Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ awful Wildcard loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jason Kelce told his teammates he is set to retire, per reports.

Kelce is no stranger to retirement rumors, having flirted with the possibility of calling time in his career many times of the past few years. This time, however, it seems to be for real, with multiple reports emerging from the Eagles’ locker room.

Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jeff McLane has posted this on X: “Jason Kelce told teammates after the #Eagles’ 32-9 playoff loss vs. the Bucs — what several had suspected of late — that he plans to retire, sources confirmed”.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Per McLane’s post, Kelce told him, “I have not announced my retirement yet,” but that the reporter should, “do his job”, essentially confirming the rumors are true.

Kelce was an unheralded prospect coming out of Cincinnati in 2011, an undersized center with no expectations of starting early in his career. He was selected by the Eagles in the sixth round and was mentored by Howard Mudd, one of the best offensive line coaches of all time. Kelce started his rookie year, and every year since.

Kelce racked up his sixth First Team All-Pro nomination in 2023, which along with his seven Pro Bowls and transformation of the center position make him an undeniable Hall of Famer, with his fame and likeability ensuring it will almost certainly be on the first ballot.

Alongside his individual awards, Kelce has seen the highs and the lows of NFL life during his time in Philly. From four-win seasons and coaches getting dramatically fired, Kelce ascended the mountain top, winning Super Bowl LII against the Patriots.

Following the Eagles' Super Bowl win, Kelce addressed the hundreds of thousands of fans that had gathered in Philadelphia, dressed in a traditional Mummers outfit, he delivered one of the greatest victory speeches of all time, cementing himself as a local legend forever.

2022 saw Kelce and the Eagles once again reach the Super Bowl, where they fell just short to the Kansas City Chiefs. Perhaps if they had won, Kelce would’ve walked off into the sunset with a ring. Instead, he came back for one more go only to fall at the first hurdle with a team that fell flat down the stretch.

Jason and his brother Travis have positioned themselves nicely for post-football life, having already built one of the biggest sports podcasts in the world. There are rumors Jason will go into broadcasting in some capacity, perhaps a similar scenario to the Manning Cast, where Jason and Travis broadcast the games as an alternative the regular announcers.

Jason Kelce will go down in NFL history as one of the all-time greatest to ever play the position, an undersized center who changed what the position is expected to do, barely missing a game for his entire career and being a leader, on and off the field. We salute you, Jason Kelce, you’ll be missed in Philadelphia.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!