Eagles’ Kelce retires after 13-year career
Jason Kelce broke down in tears almost immediately during his retirement press conference on Monday.
Kelce, 36, spent his entire 13-year career with the Eagles and was known for being an emotional leader on Philadelphia’s offensive line.
“Thanks for coming, guys. We’ll see how long this lasts,” Kelce began his press conference.
At this point, Kelce broke down, fighting back tears for about 10 seconds, and acknowledged with a smile that this was “not a good start.”
“I’ve been asked many times, why did I choose football, what drew me to the game, and I never have an answer that gets it right,” Kelce said, reading from a prepared statement.
“The best way I can explain it is what draws you to your favorite song, your favorite book. It’s what makes you feel. The seriousness of it. The intensity of it. Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt.
“There was a visceral feeling with football unlike any other sport. The hairs on my arms would stand up. I could hit somebody, run around like a crazed lunatic, and then get told, ‘Good job.’ ”
Kelce had to stop to gather himself several times throughout the reading of the statement which took nearly 45 minutes for him to get through.
Kelce was a six-time All-Pro and a member of the 2018 Super Bowl champions.
“I love football. Whether it was in the backyard with my brother, on the playground with my friends or suiting up on Friday nights at Cleveland Heights High School,” Kelce said.
“I loved everything about it. Although I hadn’t met him yet, [Eagles offensive line coach] Jeff Stoutland also shares a quote his father would tell him. More often than not, the easy way is the wrong way. Football is hard. Much harder than any other sport I’d ever played, physically and mentally, and most other sports I was bigger, faster, stronger than everybody else. On the football field, those traits were matched.”
Breaking down again, Kelce said, “I loved the challenge that football was — the joy of winning, the agony of defeat, and anxiety of the unknown and the camaraderie of
my teammates.”