Jason Kelce announces his retirement from the NFL

Jason Kelce announces his retirement from the NFL originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The day Philadelphia has been dreading finally arrived.

Jason Kelce, one of the greatest centers in NFL history and one of the greatest Eagles ever, is retiring.

Kelce announced at a press conference Monday afternoon at the NovaCare Complex that his career is over after 13 seasons, 193 games, six 1st-team All-Pros, seven Pro Bowls, seven trips to the playoffs, two Super Bowls and one unforgettable Super Bowl run after the 2017 season.

Next stop Canton.

“From everything I’ve told you about when you know it’s time to retire or not, you just know when you know, and it’s going to be when you don’t want to play football anymore,” Kelce said last year.

“I remember talking to Stout maybe two years ago, and I was like, I don‘t know when that time’s going to come or how I’m going to know when to stop,” Kelce said. “And he’s like, ‘You’ll know. You won’t want to do it anymore.’

“And I said, ‘I don’t think that’s ever going to happen,’ and he’s like, ‘No, it’ll happen. Trust me, it’ll happen.’”

Kelce walks away at the absolute top of his game.

He made 1st-team All-Pro in each of his last three seasons, becoming the first NFL player since Dolphins Hall of Fame center Dwight Stephenson from 1985 through 1987 to retire after earning All-Pro honors in each of his last three seasons.

The only other players to do that since 1960 are Oilers tackle Al Jamison from 1960 through 1962 and Jim Brown of the Browns from 1963 through 1965.

He began his career as an obscure 6th-round pick from Cincinnati and finished it as one of the most decorated offensive linemen in NFL history.

He’s the only player in history to make All-Pro first team six times in his 30s after never receiving the honor in his 20s.

This past season, he became the Eagles’ oldest All-Pro since 37-year-old center Vic Lindskog in 1951.

Kelce is only the fifth center ever named All-Pro…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/jason-kelce-announces-retirement-nfl-181738456.html

Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2024-03-04 19:44:29

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