Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is reportedly retiring from the NFL after 13 years.
According to ESPN, league sources claimed that Kelce, 36, told his teammates he was retiring on Monday night in the locker room following the Eaglesā games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles lost to the Buccaneers in a 32-9 wild card playoff.
In a video clip posted by the NFL on X, formerly Twitter, Kelce appeared outwardly emotional at the end of the game. After the game, he declined to talk to reporters in the locker room, telling them, āNo guys, not today.ā
Eagles right tackleĀ Lane JohnsonĀ revealed to reporters that Kelce had āhintedā to his teammates that he would be leaving after this season. According to sources, he had considered retiring in past seasons.
ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter broke the news about Kelceās alleged departure on X.
āSix-time All-Pro and future Hall-of-Fame center Jason Kelce told his Eaglesā teammates in Monday nightās postgame locker room that he is in fact retiring, per league sources,ā he wrote.
Schefter added, āThe 36-year-old Kelce became visibly emotional at the end of the Eaglesā 32-9 loss to the Buccaneers. He has considered retiring after other recent seasons, but this time is said to be real and happening.ā
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni praised the six-time All-Pro and said he loves him.
āHeās special and I love him. Heās one of the most special guys Iāve been around. Heās always got a place here,ā he said, via ESPN.
Eagles quarterbackĀ Jalen Hurts called Kelce a ālegend in the cityā and āreally in the league.ā
āI donāt want to do a disservice to him and the things heās been able to do and overcome. His journey to where he is now didnāt come easy,ā Hurts shared.
He continued, āItās been a long, long time coming for him, and every year since Iāve been here, itās been, āAre you going to come back?'ā
āBut he knows how much I love and appreciate him. He knows how much Iāve learned from him. Heāll forever have a special place in my heart,ā Hurts said.
This season, Kelce played on a one-year contract with the Eagles and would be a free agent coming March.
