Jason Kelce Retirement: Chiefs Kingdom Joins Teary-Eyed Travis Kelce to Extend Heartfelt Send-Off for Eagles Center

End of an era! After a heartbreaking postseason loss, Jason Kelce announced in the locker room that he is going to retire this offseason. This announcement stunned the Eagles and the entire NFL arena. However, he returned saying that the announcement was due to emotional shifts prompted by the loss and hasn’t decided to break off the ties from the gridiron yet.

Kelce earlier mentioned that “when it’s time to officially announce what’s happening in the future, it will be done in a way that will be definitive.” And the definitive day has arrived in March 2024. As Jason Kelce has won the hearts of many, his fans are paying honor to his NFL exit. And even the Super Bowl LVII rivals – the Kansas City Chiefs, can’t help but join in to celebrate the star.

The Chiefs dropped an earnest note for their ‘family’

Soon after the retirement news of Jason Kelce, ending his 13-season legacy, many started pouring their respect and love for the Eagles star. The latest to chime in this is the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. The official Instagram account of the Chiefs posted a picture of the Kelce brothers hugging each other with a smile. To this post, the KC page wrote, “You never played for us, but you’re still family. The game is going to miss you @jason.kelce Congratulations on a legendary career!” showing true sportsmanship on his exit.

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The Chiefs are close to Kelce due to his younger brother Travis Kelce having played for them throughout his NFL career. Furthermore, after the postseason loss to the Bucs, Jason stepped in to support Travis and the Chiefs in their Super Bowl run to display his affection for the side aside from his team. This shows how special the Red Army’s dynamics with the older Kelce brother have been.

As Travis Kelce and others bid an emotional farewell to Jason with teary eyes, the Eagles Center also announced this update with heartfelt sentiments and uncontrollable emotions.

What were Jason Kelce’s emotional words on his retirement announcement?

Jason Kelce officially declared his retirement from the NFL, in a press conference attended by colleagues, his wife Kylie, and brother Travis Kelce. The 36-year-old known for his illustrious 13-season career, became emotional during the announcement, expressing a deep connection to football and acknowledging the challenges of stepping away from the sport to his other off-court work.

Kelce, a six-time All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowl selection, thanked his coaches, teammates, Philadelphia fans, and his family, highlighting the joy he found in proving doubters wrong throughout his underdog career. Kelce expressed, “I have been the underdog my entire career and I mean this when I say it, I wish I still was. Few things gave me more joy than proving someone wrong.”

He concluded his emotional speech saying, “Thank you, Philadelphia, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for letting me represent this city and allowing me into your homes every Sunday…..I don’t know what’s next, but I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that await and I know that I carry with me the lessons from my time here and that forever, we shall all share the bond of being Philadelphians.”

Monday’s press conference with the Eagles left no dry eye in the room, especially for Jason’s brother Travis, who will definitely miss playing against his brother and witnessing his idol on the gridiron. Also, his wife Kylie Kelce, who after the speech hugged and cried for her husband, as Kelce also talked about how he met her during his days in Philadelphia.

Read more: Jason Kelce 2024 Net Worth: Eagles Star’s NFL Career Earnings, Salaries and Endorsements