Last March, when Jason Kelce bid a tearful goodbye to the Eagles, there was one question on everyone’s mind. Who is going to replace him? The Eagles had Cam Jurgens in place to do exactly that, but it was never going to be an easy task. Stepping into Kelce’s shoes was termed the hardest job in Philly as he had to anchor an O-line led by Jalen Hurts, with Super Bowl expectations looming overhead. Jurgens, to his credit, kept it nonchalant.  “I’m not trying to replace anybody. I’m just trying to be the best player I can be,” he said before the Eagles’ Week 1 game in Brazil. Well, not only did he step up, but he delivered big time for his team.

He donned his No. 51 jersey and went to work. If there was any pressure, he didn’t show it, at least publicly. He was the first Eagles center other than Jason Kelce to start a season opener since Jamaal Jackson in 2010 and felt quite at ease. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection this season after shifting over from guard and one reason behind this was his learning under Kelce which helped him embrace the new challenge.

Jurgens would sit next to Kelce in every meeting during his early years in Philadelphia. He closely paid attention to calls being changed at the line of scrimmage and organizing protections in the heat of the moment. There is little doubt that being under the tutelage of one of the best centers of all time contributed to his development. Hence, he made sure to clarify Jason’s role in his success when he appeared on Green Light with Chris Long.

He was asked, “How much of a role model was he (Jason Kelce) for you, and my second part of this question is, did you feel the ghosts of Jason Kelce in the O-line meeting all season?”

Jurgens answered, “Shout out Kelce, he’s such a great role model and a part of that legacy that, you know, stout went in there and started building the culture and I mean he’s one of the main keys to getting that room to where it was. And you know when you step into that room, you just feel something a little different.”

Of course, Kelce built a legacy in the Eagles‘ O-line room. He won a Super Bowl, 7 pro-bowl honors, and 6 First-team All-Pro. And the management asked the player who was just in his third season with the team to fill those massive shoes. You can just say that Jurgens felt that weight throughout the season.

“The standard is so high, and it’s you either rise to the occasion and you fill that role and you join into the O-line room and you completely buy in or you kind of get chewed up and spit out and that’s kind of how we like to live and we have so much fun there.”

As a rookie, he started in all 17 regular season games and 3 postseason games while serving as Kelce’s backup. Then as March 2024 rolled around, Kelce dropped the retirement bombshell and Jurgens was in the spotlight.

Despite suffering an injury this season, Jurgens returned to anchor the offensive line, contributing significantly to the Eagles’ successful campaign. Take the NFC championship round for instance, he was sidelined due to an injury during the first half, but when his replacement, Landon Dickerson, sustained a knee injury, Jurgens stepped out on the gridiron and helped the Eagles to secure a Super Bowl spot.

This sort of resiliency was something that the Eagles fans would usually associate with Jason Kelce. The ever-present center didn’t miss a game over his last nine seasons and certainly helped set that standard of toughness.

The legacy left by Kelce was something of a double-edged sword for Jurgens. On one hand, he got to learn from him for a good time, but now it meant to try and replicate what he achieved with the Eagles. But for Jurgens, it was about doing his own thing and giving his best for the team.

As Jurgens pointed out himself, “I feel like, I mean, going in there filling shoes, I never really want to try to fill somebody else’s shoes, and when you’re trying to feel like a Hall of Famer shoes, you’re gonna fail. So I mean, I’m just worried about being my best self and filling my own shoes and creating my own legacy.”

Well, he surely took a massive step in making his own legend in Philadelphia and it highlights how far the former Cornhuskers player has come.

Cam Jurgens: From successor of Kelce to Super Bowl champ

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Cam Jurgens in the second round with 51 overall pick back in the 2022 NFL draft.  Jason Kelce himself helped the team’s general manager, Howie Roseman, to pick him. The reason? Well, the Eagles’ legend saw the future and wanted Jurgens to take his place at the center.

Jurgens played 35 snaps during his rookie regular season but didn’t take to the field in Super Bowl 57. He entered 2023 as the starting right guard, playing alongside Kelce, but missed six games due to injury.

“He can do some things in the NFL right now that there’s not a lot of other centers can do, especially when it comes to his pulling and getting out on the perimeter and stuff like that.” That’s how Travis Schuster, Jurgens’ high school OC at Beatrice High School in Nebraska, praised the Eagles’ Center. And why wouldn’t he?

Replacing Kelce was no easy task, but Jurgens has proven to be an able successor. This season he allowed just 4 sacks in 16 starts en route to Super Bowl success. Cam Jurgens ensured that Jason Kelce wasn’t missed and also demonstrated why the Eagles have every chance to build a new dynasty in Philly.