Fans react to Jason Kelce’s retirement after the Philadelphia Eagles’ surprise defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card game.

Jason Kelce (via Imago)

The Philadelphia Eagles‘ All-Pro center, Jason Kelce, has finally decided to hang up his cleats after a stellar 13 seasons with the organization.

He informed his teammates about the decision after the Eagles’ devastating 32-9 Wild Card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday. The 36-year-old has contemplated retiring before as well, but this time it is said to be real.

Kelce was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Eagles. He will retire as one of the game’s most accomplished and complete centers ever.

The future Hall of Famer was selected to the All-Pro team six times and was a Pro-Bowler seven times. He appeared in two Super Bowls with the Eagles, winning one in 2017 against the New England Patriots.

However, in recent years, Kelce has contemplated retirement. He came back last season to help his team win another Super Bowl and almost managed to do it, only for the Kansas City Chiefs to break their hearts. Kelce wanted to give it another shot this year, but the Eagles faltered during the later stages of the regular season, and that form carried over into the postseason.

The All-Pro center’s retirement is not a surprise; however, he would’ve wanted to go out on top with another Super Bowl ring. Kelce, who has been selected for at least six All-Pro teams, is the fifth center in NFL history. Dermontti Dawson, Jim Otto, Bulldog Turner, and Jim Ringo are the other four who are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Fans react to Jason Kelce announcing his retirement from the NFL after Eagles loss in the Wild Card game

The Philadelphia Eagles lost their Wild Card game on Monday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in blowout fashion. It was a rather one-sided affair, which the Bucs dominated en route to a 32-9 win.

After the defeat, the Eagles’ All-Pro center, Jason Kelce, announced his retirement to his teammates in the locker room.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Jason Kelce (via Imago)
As expected, the news instantly went viral, eliciting a plethora of reactions online. A lot of them praised Kelce for his contributions to the Eagles’ organization and called him one of the greatest centers of all time.

Others blamed HC Nick Sirianni for the Eagles’ loss and Kelce’s retirement. Sharing a wide spectrum of reactions online, here’s what fans have to say:

Jason seems to have figured out his next career move long before his retirement on Monday. He and his brother, fellow NFL player Travis Kelce, started their podcast in 2020 and have quickly become fan favorites. A post-retirement career in podcasting might be the way to go for the former Eagle.