Jason Kelce may be retired from throwing blocks on the gridiron, but he’s still tackling issues off the field. Lately, he’s been raising his voice about the 76ers’ plans to build a new arena in Center City. The City of Philadelphia just green-lit the project, but not everyone’s cheering. Kelce, for one, thinks it’s a bad call.

He believes the Sixers are “strong-arming the city” into this deal. You have ever seen a team push its agenda and wondered if it’s really for the fans? That’s what our retired Eagle feels like. Speaking on the 94 WIP Morning Show, he expressed his frustration. “They’re strong arming the city, what do you do? Do you risk losing the Sixers? They’re forcing the city to do what they want, and it s—-.” Pretty blunt, right?

But his quip did not come until Mayor Parker was fully behind the plan, calling it “the best financial deal ever entered into by a Philadelphia mayor for a local sports arena.” But Kelce’s not buying it. For Jason, it’s not just about economics; it’s about the heart of the city, the fans, and the sense of community.

Why’s Kelce so fired up? You may ask. Well, if you grew up a Browns fan like he did, you’d get it. He’s got scars from watching the Browns move to Baltimore in the ’90s. “I really had a strong disdain for the fact that this guy [Art Modell] strong-armed the city,” Kelce said, recalling the pain Cleveland fans felt. So, when he sees the Sixers making moves that remind him of those days, it hits home.

The Sixers’ arena drama hit overtime when rumors of a Camden move popped up, leaving Philly fans frustrated. But with the Mayor’s backing, they’d still be moving but within Philly only. Still does not sit well with the retired football center.

Kelce just wants what’s best for Philly—his city now. He’s not totally against change, but when you see the same playbook being used to muscle through deals, it’s hard not to call foul. And that’s why he took to X to clear the air around his statements.

Jason Kelce believes the arena would be loved in the future, but count him out!

Jason Kelce felt that his fans deserved an explanation and hence he took to his X account to provide them with that. He clarified that while he supports the idea of the Sixers having their own arena, it should not come at the end of a compromise. The ex-Eagles center gets it—renting isn’t fair, but forcing a move to a location locals aren’t thrilled about? That’s a hard pass for him.

Chinatown residents, like Debbie Wei, are also voicing their opposition, calling the Mayor’s move a blow to their community. Wei’s ready for a fight, saying this battle is “far from over.” Guess that’s what Jason Kelce was trying to convey.

But despite all this, Kelce believes that in 5-10 years, Philly might actually love a new arena in the heart of the city. “At the end of the day, we will all love it in 5-10 years when we have a beautiful new stadium in the heart of the city,” he said. However, he sees it as a problem right now.

And Jason Kelce just does not want to see the Sixers end on the same end of the spectrum as the Browns once did. All being said, that’s his personal viewpoint. Yours could be different and we would love to hear it.

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