Eagles’ Kelce calls it a career, retires after 13 seasons
Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce officially called it quits Monday at the Eagles’ NovaCare Complex, ending a 13-year career spent entirely with Philadelphia in which he became not only one of the great centers of his era who played a key role in the franchise’s lone Super Bowl championship but a beloved Philly personality and popular podcast host.
“Let’s see how long this lasts,” said Kelce, wearing a sleeveless Eagles T-shirt, before he burst into tears and needed several moments to compose himself at the news conference attended by his parents, Ed and Donna, wife Kylie and brother Travis, who was wearing sunglasses inside the auditorium.
“I have been the underdog my entire career,” Kelce said. “And I mean it when I say it, I wish I still was.”
More pro football
The Denver Broncos told Russell Wilson that they’re going to release him next week, just 18 months after signing the Super Bowl-winning quarterback to a fiveyear, $242 million contract extension.
• The Kansas City Chiefs placed the franchise tag on L’Jarius Sneed, although it is uncertain whether that means one of the top cornerbacks due to hit free agency will remain with the Super Bowl champions next season.
• A person familiar with the deal says Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans has agreed to a two-year, $52 million contract to remain with the Buccaneers instead of testing his worth in free agency.
Baseball
Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed on a $126 million, three-year contract for 2025-27, the fourth-highest average salary in baseball history at $42 million.
• Josh Donaldson says he’s retiring after a 13-year career in which he was voted the 2015 AL MVP and was selected to three All-Star Games.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Andre Lipcius from the Detroit Tigers for cash. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred pitcher Clayton Kershaw to the 60-day injured list.
• Chicago Cubs outfielder and Mt. Lebanon native Ian Happ has a mild left hamstring strain. Manager Craig Counsell told reporters that the team is optimistic he will be ready for opening day.
College basketball
Houston still has a tight grip on No. 1 in the men’s Associated Press Top 25 while Kansas is out of the top 10 for the first time in three seasons.
• Stanford and Iowa jumped up behind topranked South Carolina in The AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll as the top 10 got a shuffle on the eve of conference tournaments and Fairfield cracked the rankings for the first time in school history.
• Dartmouth basketball players remain on schedule to vote Tuesday on whether to form the nation’s firstever college athletes’ labor union after a National Labor Relations Board official rejected the school’s request to reopen the case.
• Marquette guard Tyler Kolek will miss at least the final two games of the regular season as the 2022-23 Big East player of the year recovers from an oblique injury.