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Jason Kelce (right) greets his brother Travis after last year’s Super Bowl. Photograph: Mark J Rebilas/USA Today Sports
Jason Kelce, one of the greatest centers of all time, has announced his retirement from professional football after 13 NFL seasons.
The 36-year-old, dressed in a sleeveless workout jersey, was in tears for long periods of his retirement press conference, which was shown live on ESPN, a testament to the fame he found despite playing a position that rarely grabs the spotlight.
Kelce will almost certainly end up in the Hall of Fame despite only being selected in the sixth round of the 2011 draft after a relatively anonymous college career at Cincinnati, where he had originally tried out as a running back. But he established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL and was named a first-team All Pro on six occasions, something achieved by only four other centers, all of whom are now members of the Hall of Fame.
“I have been the underdog my entire career,” Kelce said during his 45-minute retirement speech. “And I mean this when I say it: I still wish I was.”
He played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he made two Super Bowl appearances. He won the first, in February 2018, before falling short in his second last year.
Kelce became almost as famous for his exploits off the field. He is beloved in Philadelphia, and his passionate, expletive filled victory speech after the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory went down in city lore. He also helped usher in the Eagles’ notorious “tush-push” play, which made them almost unstoppable in short-yardage situations.
“I found it a great blessing to play in the most passionate sports town in America,” he said on Monday. “The sense of urgency to win has pushed our organization, fuelled it to take chances, fix problems and work tirelessly to win. At times you hate it as an athlete … but when you’ve been through it enough, you learn to appreciate it. No one…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tearful-jason-kelce-announced-nfl-185300287.html
Author : The Guardian
Publish date : 2024-03-04 18:53:00
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