Retirement has been on Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce’s mind a while now.
The Amazon Prime Video “Kelce” documentary showed the Philly legend battling emotions while trying to decide whether he’d play in 2023. Ultimately, he decided to return to the Eagles to make another Super Bowl run.
Kelce also touched on retirement recently.
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“You know, I think it is a lot, and I think the way we’ve justified it as a family is that this is going to be over pretty soon here,” he told NFL Network. “If it’s this year, which it very well could be, we want to make sure that we’re ready to go when football is done, and with all of these different opportunities and things, to figure out what it is we want to do with our retirement. And then on top of that, just enjoy the last time you have left with the guys you have.”
Donna Kelce, Jason’s mother who has become a household name since her sons faced each other in the Super Bowl earlier this year, understands how Jason’s decision is “very personal.”
Of course, a mother’s advice goes a long way, but she told Fox News Digital she’s not telling him what to do either way.
“You don’t want to tell somebody this is what you should do with your life and your career because it may come back to haunt you later on,” she explained. “As a parent, you don’t want your children not wanting to talk to you, or just to think that you’re interfering too much. I think that’s basically it.
“They know the pros and the cons, they’re very aware of how their body feels after the season’s over. They can decide what’s going to be better: Having another year out there or not knowing what you want to do. It’s just a personal decision, and nobody can make it for them.”
Kelce added that her son has “been teeter-tottering” for about the last five years when it comes to retirement.
The Cincinnati product has been a stalwart center for the Eagles since he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He’s a six-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro and a Super Bowl champion despite falling to his brother, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs in February.
After another Eagles win last week, Kelce has 195 NFL games under his belt. And at the position he plays, it’s taken a physical toll.
So, this year could be his last, especially if the Eagles get some Super Bowl redemption. Going out with a title like Peyton Manning or Michael Strahan is never a bad way to hang up the cleats.
And his mother would love to see a Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl again.
“I can tell you this: I hope that Jason and Travis would make it to the Super Bowl this year and let the fate decide who’s going to win it,” she said.