Jason Kelce reportedly told his Philadelphia Eagles teammates that he was retiring from football following their surprising loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the 36-year-old will soon be leaving after a distinguished 13-year career and informed his teammates in the locker room at Raymond James Stadium.
Kelce, a father of three, was strongly considering retirement late last season and filmed his decisive fight, which later became a hit Amazon Prime documentary.
He ultimately decided to continue playing and signed a one-year contract with the Eagles for this season, but was scheduled to become a free agent in March.
But this time it looks like he's finally getting away, and Kelce seemed overcome with emotion in the final seconds of his team's horrific 32-9 loss to the Bucs.
Jason Kelce reportedly told his Philadelphia Eagles teammates that he was retiring from football
Kelce went over to see his wife Kylie and father Ed in emotional scenes in Tampa Bay
Kelce politely declined to speak to the media afterward, a duty he usually performs after the game
Kelce pictured with wife Kylie and their three daughters Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett
Kelce was famously beaten by his brother Travis when the Eagles faced the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII
The center, a Super Bowl winner, six-time All-Pro and future Hall of Fame candidate, turned and hugged offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland as the clock ticked toward zero.
Jason, the older brother of Kansas City Chiefs star Travis, then had an emotional but brief reunion with his family on the field – his father Ed and wife Kylie cheered him on from the front row of the stands.
He waved to them both as he left the pitch and was filmed teary-eyed on his long and lonely walk back to the dressing room.
Kelce politely refused to speak to the media in the locker room after the game – he usually talks about whether the Eagles win or lose – and left the stadium for what appeared to be the last time in his career.
But he won the 2018 Super Bowl after an epic battle against Tom Brady's Patriots
It seems a sad end to a career that will see him go down in history as one of the sport's greats.
The center won the Super Bowl in 2018 and was beaten by his brother last season when the Eagles faced the Chiefs in the NFL's exhibition game.
Kelce was drafted by the Eagles in 2011 after playing college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats and spent his entire career in Philadelphia.
Leading up to the Bucs game, he accepted that his future would be a topic of conversation as the NFL season entered the home stretch.
“I think that’s been second nature to me over the last three seasons,” Kelce said Friday.
“As you get older in your career, you never know when that will be.”
“I try to remind people, and my dad told me from the moment I started playing football: one day you walk off the side of the road and that could mean the end of your career.”
“So you try to approach every game with that mindset, but the closer and older you get to that realization, the more it comes to the fore.”
“But that's obviously not the main thing.” “The main thing is to go out there and fight with every one of the guys in that locker room.”
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts paid tribute to Kelce after Monday night's loss.
Jason and Travis' New Heights podcast is proving popular with football fans throughout the season
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts admitted Kelce will “forever have a special place in my heart”
Hurts said: “He's a legend in this city – really in the league, I don't want to do a disservice to him and the things he was able to do and overcome.”
“His journey to where he is now hasn’t been easy, it’s taken him a long time and every year since I’ve been here it’s been like, “Do you want to come back?”
“But he knows, he knows how much I love and appreciate him, he knows how much I have learned from him and he will forever have a special place in my heart.”
Fellow offensive lineman Lane Johnson also said Kelce “hinted” that this would be his last season.
He said, “I love him.” He's one of the best to ever play the game.
“The things he can do athletically on the football field – I don’t think we’ll see another one like him for a long time.”
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