Opinion | Jason Kelce will go down as a Philly legend

Jason Kelce announced his decision on whether he was retiring from his football career or not on March 4. As many of us had been predicting for weeks, he did, in fact, officially retire. Jason Kelce will go down as a Philadelphia legend. 

I am a Philadelphia native. I have lived in northeast Philadelphia my entire life, so of course I am a diehard Philadelphia sports fan. If you are a Philadelphia native, it’s like a rule to support their sports teams. I remember going to the Eagles Super Bowl parade and seeing Jason Kelce only about three feet away from me when I was 13 years old. I remember standing in the freezing winter weather with my family and friends as everyone cheered him on. 

Every Philly sports fan, including myself, is upset to see Jason Kelce go. There are even some non-Eagles fans that understand how much of an impact Kelce had on the Eagles. He not only had a long run and has done much for the Eagles and the city of Philadelphia, but he is also an incredibly likable man. Every fan of his will forever remember his famous Super Bowl speech. With his lively energy and his Mummers Parade outfit, Kelce talked about how many people doubted the Eagles. He talked about how they were underdogs and how driven they were to get a Super Bowl win. One of my favorite parts of the speech is his popular “No one likes us [Philly fans] and we don’t care” chant, which is seen on a lot of Philly merch.

Jason Kelce is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and attended the University of Cincinnati, where he played football. Kelce was a walk-on for the university’s football team. Alongside Jason Kelce was his brother Travis Kelce, who also played football in Cincinnati. He now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. Jason Kelce was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2011 NFL Draft during the sixth round. He played as the center for the Philadelphia Eagles throughout his entire career. 

During the press conference, Kelce talked a lot about how football made him feel. He mentioned how he started playing football when he was just 12 years old, played for his high school team and how he was so drawn to the game. Besides football, Kelce also played lacrosse in his youth. He mentioned how football was a lot harder than lacrosse — that seems to be the reason why he loved it so much. 

I truly believe Jason Kelce deserves a statue or a mural in the city of Philadelphia. I actually found some petitions online to get a statue of Kelce built — I love how passionate Philadelphia sports fans are. I’ve heard family and friends also joke around about it, but wholeheartedly, this man should have something that represents him in the city. He played his entire career for the Eagles — 13 years playing for the city. 

Kelce has accomplished many things. He was the 2023 Toyota Player of the Year, has made seven trips to the Pro Bowl and, for the sixth time, he was a first-team All-Pro. Not only that, but he was also a co-recipient for the John Wanamaker Athletic Award, which was announced by PHL Sports. He was a co-recipient alongside Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ quarterback. This award has been around since 1961 and is given to an organization, athlete or team that reflects the best image of Philadelphia and their sport.

Another reason why Kelce deserves a statue is because of his (Be)Philly Foundation. Kelce launched this nonprofit foundation in October of 2022 to support and improve Philly youth. The foundation focuses primarily on the underserved youth of the K-12 Philadelphia Public School System. The goal was to reach $100,000 in donations, and they have reached well above that thanks to many different fans. 

At the end of the press conference earlier this month, Kelce ended with a very heartwarming message, especially to Philadelphia sports fans and natives of the city. Kelce thanked the city of Philadelphia and thanked how great Philadelphia fans are. I, amongst others, am excited to see what Kelce does next. As of now, we can keep listening to the podcast he has with his brother Travis and support his (Be)Philly Foundation, but I’m sure more big things will come from the Philadelphia legend soon. 

Are you a Philadelphia sports fan? You can email Irene at inm24@pitt.edu.