Will Jason Kelce retire? Eagles, NFL fans say goodbye if this was his final game.
As the seconds were ticking down to the end of the Philadelphia Eagles' 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night in Tampa, so too were possibly the final seconds of Jason Kelce's career.
Kelce didn't talk to the media after the game. He was near tears in the locker room when he said, "Not today, guys, sorry. Take it easy.”
The Eagles' legendary center has talked about retirement and as his 13th season came to an end, tears started to flow. As he was walking toward the locker room there was hurt and hugs of support from Eagles staff.
After the game, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts described Kelce as a "legend in the city, and really in this league."
Added head coach Nick Sirianni: "I love him ... He's special, and I love him. He's one of the most special guys I've been around. Obviously, he's always got a place here. We'll always want him to play, and we'll see what happens as time progresses."
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Left tackle Jordan Mailata also chimed in, saying: "He was a true leader until the final whistle. He was being real positive, trying to get the guys’ spirits up, and get us going. He’s a true leader until the final whistle. That’s why I love him."
While retirement questions will fill the Philadelphia sports media until there's a resolution, one thing is for sure – Kelce, a near-certain Hall of Famer, left an impression on Eagles fans and NFL fans alike.
As Dylan Powell wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "It’s easy to root against the Eagles but impossible to root against Jason Kelce."
Philadelphia Eagles fans say thank you to Jason Kelce
Eagles fans, already dealing with the loss, were also coping with the possibility that this was Kelce's last game and sending thank-you messages on social media.