Jason Kelce Breaks Down in Tears as He Finally Makes a Decision About His Future

Jason Kelce

Jason Kelce will not be returning for the Philadelphia Eagles 2024 regular season beginning in September.

The 36-year-old officially confirmed that he would be retiring from the league after 13 seasons.

During his announcement on Monday, March 4—and after weeks of speculation—the former Philadelphia center became overwhelmed with emotion. "13 seasons in Philadelphia and I look back on a career with ups and downs," he said while fighting back tears. Kelce, in between sniffles, went on to thank all those he worked for and worked with.

The former football pro continued his speech by recounting some of his fondest memories on the team–including the Eagles Christmas party where he me his future wife. "That moment is burned into my retina."

"I won't forget walking out on a snowless field," he went on, "I won't forget walking back out into a blizzard."

"I won't forget finding out Carson [Wentz] tore his ACL," he said of his former teammate's injury during a 2017 game against the Rams.

"I won't forget the parade and the joy it brought the city of Philadelphia," he shared.

"Sometimes the flowers get knocked back a bit, but the roots remain and I can't wait to watch for the blossoms this next season," Kelce sobbed.

"I won't forget falling short to the Chiefs and the immense heartbreak I had selfishly, for myself and for my teammates," Kelce said of his team's Super Bowl LVII loss to brother Travis Kelce and Kansas City. "And the same time the amount of pride I had for my brother climbed the mountaintop once again."

Kelce said he's "very proud" of where he once was and the legacy he leaves behind and hinted at being excited to spend more time with his family–which includes wife Kylie and daughters Wyatt, 4, Elliotte, 2, and Bennett, 1.

Related: How the Chiefs-Bills Game Inspired New Retirement Plans for Travis and Jason Kelce

Kelce teased the announcement in a statement he shared on social media hours prior.

"No Keg videos this year, I have come to a decision and will address it at a press conference this afternoon," he shared via X (formerly Twitter) on the morning of Monday, March 4.

But rumors of his retirement can be traced back to the 2023 football season, with Kelce seemingly countering the comments in the post-season during a Jan. 2024 episode of his New Heights podcast, telling fans at the time that when it comes time to “officially announce what’s happening in the future,” he'll do it “in a way that’s definitive and pays a lot of respect to people...that have meant a lot to me and led to the career I have."

Fast forward to February, Kelce–who has been a Philadelphia Eagles lifer, joining the team in 2011 and later securing a Super Bowl victory in 2018–entertained the idea of his retirement in two separate podcast interviews.

The first occurred during his appearance on the Green Light podcast, a sports and culture podcast hosted by Jason's former Eagles teammate, Chris Long. During their conversation, Kelce admitted it was "exciting to think about possibilities" for his future. However, he confessed, "It's also daunting. It's anxiety. At the end of the day, it's the unknown."

"All of us were fortunate, we can go in a lot of different areas," he continued, "But that is also very nerve-wracking, you don't know what you are going to like until you are doing it. You don't know what you are going get fulfillment in until you are doing it, you don't know what you are going to be great at until you are doing it."

Then, about a week ago, he told Dana Carvey and David Spade that he hadn't made a decision regarding his retirement. “I’m trying to figure it out right now," he said while taping the duo's Fly on the Wall podcast.

But in the time that the episode taped, aired and now, the father of three confirmed he would be leaving the professional sport.

As for how his family feels, they appeared to be supportive of whatever decision he made. While speaking with ABC’s Good Morning America last month, Kylie said she believes her husband will find success in “whatever he does."

“I’m not just saying that because I’m his wife,” she joked, adding that Jason’s personality gives her confidence in his ability to succeed. She even suggested some new hobbies, “Maybe he’ll be the new breakfast guy.”

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