Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce declined to specifically address his playing future during the latest episode of his podcast, saying he would make an official announcement “when the time comes.”
Kelce's comments on the “New Heights” podcast, which he hosts with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, came after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning, citing sources from league, that the veteran center told his Eagles teammates he was retiring after their wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kelce, 36, said emotions were too high after the Eagles' 32-9 loss to make a final decision like retiring.
“I just don't think you're in a position to make that decision after a game like that. I just don't,” Kelce said in the episode released Wednesday. “There's too much emotion in the moment. There's too much going on in the moment to fully understand that decision.
“I'm not trying to be dramatic and continue to drag this out. I really am not. It's something that I believe, when the time comes to officially announce what will happen in the future, it will be done in a way that is definitive and respects a lot of people and individuals who have meant a lot to me, leading me to the career I've had. I don't think it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right. After a game like that.”
Kelce acknowledged that he turned to his Eagles teammates in the locker room and told them, “I trust every one of you.”
“Cherish the moments you have in this league. I think that's how it happened. A lot of guys say, 'If that's your last game, I feel sorry for you.' Don't feel sorry for me, motherfuckers,” Kelce said, before to pause to sort out your emotions.
Kelce was also visibly emotional at the end of the Eagles' loss on Monday and refused to speak to reporters in the locker room after the game.
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson told reporters that Kelce had “hinted” to his teammates that this would be his last season.
“I love him. He's one of the best to ever play the game,” Johnson said. “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.”
Kelce's contract expires after the season, his 13th in the NFL. He is a six-time All-Pro and earned that honor for the third consecutive year in 2023.
He reiterated in his podcast the uncertainty about his future and that of the rest of the team after a season that ended with an unexpected 1-6 finish after a 10-1 start that turned the Eagles into one of the first contenders for the Super Bowl.
“I think there was a lot of emotion in the room. I don't know what the future holds for anyone in that building right now,” Kelce said.
Information from ESPN's Tim McManus was used in this report.
