The Philadelphia Eagles’ soaring season hit a snag with their elimination from the playoffs in the Wild Card round, leaving fans disheartened. Jason Kelce’s visibly emotional reaction after the loss fueled speculations about his retirement, dominating headlines in the aftermath of the game.
While Jason Kelce’s younger brother, Travis Kelce, is currently on the path to potentially securing a Super Bowl victory, he recently took the opportunity to address the persistent rumors surrounding his older brother’s retirement.
Travis Kelce shuts down Jason Kelce’s NFL retirement rumors
In the midst of Super Bowl media day, Travis Kelce addressed the ongoing retirement speculations surrounding his brother, Jason Kelce. While Travis is not one to make bets, he remains hopeful about his brother’s potential return to the field in the upcoming season.
“I think so. I don’t know. I’m not a betting man, but I think he’s got some football left in him. … What are the odds? I don’t even know. I’m going to leave that up to him,” Travis Kelce said.
NEWS: Travis Kelce does NOT THINK Jason Kelce will retire, saying he will be playing for the #Eagles in week one
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) February 6, 2024
“I think he's got some football left in him.”
👀
(Via @CooperMcCoyRE)
pic.twitter.com/pNKzOLPw4g
Jason Kelce has had an illustrious 14-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro honors. Despite his achievements, retirement rumors have been circulating, leaving fans curious about his next move.
Travis Kelce has previously debunked retirement rumors surrounding his brother. The 34-year-old pointed to a documentary that chronicles Jason’s journey, emphasizing that the retirement speculations are merely unfounded rumors.
Jason Kelce’s NFL retirement has yet to be announced
The chatter of Jason Kelce’s retirement began after ESPN’s Adam Schefter added fuel to Jason Kelce’s retirement rumors by reporting that Kelce had shared his retirement intentions with teammates in the locker room.
In response to the reports, the 36-year-old addressed the rumors during an episode of his “New Height” podcast with his brother Travis. He stated the difficulty of making such a significant decision immediately after a game.
“I just don’t think you’re in a position after a game like that to really, you know, make that decision. I just don’t. There’s too much emotion in the moment. There’s too much going down in the moment to really fully grasp that decision.”
When the time is right, you'll hear from the man himself
— New Heights (@newheightshow) January 17, 2024
New episode premieres NOW: https://t.co/lxUrkMbzk6 pic.twitter.com/fdxfOPETlU
The center continued expressing his dissatisfaction over such news. In response to the speculations, he mentioned the gravity of the decision and the need for a respectful announcement process.
“I’m not trying to be dramatic and continue to draw this thing out. I’m really not. It’s just something I think, when it’s time to officially announce what’s happening in the future, it’ll be done in a way that’s definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me, what has led to the career I’ve had. I don’t think that it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right after a game like that.”
He again debunked the notion recently during his appearance in Pro Bowl games. Recently, a video from the Pro Bowl went viral, featuring a fan pleading with Kelce not to retire. In response, Kelce appeared to mumble, “I’m gonna try not to”, per Fox 29.
He remains arguably the NFL’s best center, receiving first-team All-Pro honors in 2023. However, retirement seems to have crossed his mind already.
