Internet Has Emotional Reaction to NFL Announcing Jason Kelce's Retirement
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 15: Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
The NFL seems to have confirmed the news fans have been dreading: the Eagles' first and only playoff game of the season marked Jason Kelce's final game in the league.
If the league's official Twitter account is to be believed, the center told his teammates in the Jan. 15 postgame locker room that he was officially retiring, following months of speculation, as originally reported by ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter and confirmed by NFL reporter Mike Garafolo.
Kelce ended his presumed-to-be final game, which was an unfortunate 9-32 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with an emotional embrace of his longtime coach Jeff Stoutland before heading to the locker room, where he appeared to be fighting back tears—the alleged end of an era that many fans, including a legion of Swifties, thanks to Taylor Swift's relationship with his brother, Travis Kelce, could not handle.
#Eagles C Jason Kelce informed teammates after last night’s loss he will retire, as @AdamSchefter said. Kelce’s emotional final few moments on the field, in which he hugged longtime OL coach Jeff Stoutland, wrapped up a 13-year, seven-time Pro Bowl, six-time All-Pro career. https://t.co/7k5Pz5eXS9
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 16, 2024
Many were left wondering how "some football player" putting his phone number on a friendship bracelet for the "Long Live" songstress could have led us all here.
Some football player decided to make a friendship bracelet for Taylor 7 months ago and now all of swiftie twt is in shambles over his brother
— Liz?? (@lizzyyy1989) January 16, 2024
i decided to listen to fearless 15 years ago and now i’m crying over her boyfriend’s older brother crying on a bench in a football stadium
— mel (@fritzherbertson) January 16, 2024
heard picture to burn in 2006 and here i am in 2024 crying over the kelce family pic.twitter.com/FjUuWFXi27
— annie (@graynovember13) January 16, 2024
Even Pennsylvania rep Malcolm Kenyatta mourned the major loss for the team, calling Jason "a constant force of positivity and toughest on the field."
Anyone who knows me knows that @JasonKelce is by far my favorite football player of all time. He was a constant force of positivity and toughest on the field and is a deeply kind philanthropist off it.
Hard to imagine my @Eagles without him.
Thank you for the memories big guy. pic.twitter.com/sJxLtXZtQC— Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (@malcolmkenyatta) January 16, 2024
Others began their campaigns to get the star footballer inducted into the Hall of Fame, with replies to the NFL's announcement reading, "Hall him immediately," "...A career that will forever be remembered. HOF incoming," and, "The NFL lost an absolute legend !"
Even the league got in on the fun:
Add "greatest Super Bowl parade speech of all-time" to @JasonKelce's Hall Of Fame resume. ????
(via @NFLonFOX) pic.twitter.com/kbiZGT4Ghm— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2024
After 13 seasons with the Eagles, Kelce is one of 23 offensive linemen in NFL history to make 1st Team All Pro at least five times (in fact, he's made it six) and the Pro Bowl at least seven times. 21 of those players were eligible for the Hall of Fame (Jason and Jim Tyrer, who killed his wife and himself in 1980, make up the other two), so fans are determined to see Jason's time come.
We imagine that Jason will make an official statement about whether the rumors are true or not on the brothers' next episode of New Heights, so, until then, we'll just be sitting here wondering how listening to "Love Story" at age 14 left us tearing up over our laptops on a snowy Tuesday morning in 2024.
Next: Eagles Fans Roast Jason Kelce for Wearing Flip-Flops in the Snow on Game Day
