Jason Kelce was unable to fight back tears as he tried to process the journey that led to him sitting inside U.S. Bank Stadium as a Super Bowl champ following the Eagles’ win over the Patriots.

“Persistence has summed up my whole career, summed up my whole life,” Kelce said back in February, pausing and closing his eyes in between sentences to compose himself. “Just keep going, keep moving forward. No matter what obstacle is in the way, just keep moving forward. The resiliency of this team is incredible.”

Kelce and the offensive line had delivered a masterful performance in the Eagles’ 41-33 victory. Nick Foles didn’t take a sack, and the offense piled up 164 rushing yards en route to the title.

There were plenty of times during Kelce’s NFL career when he was unsure if this day would ever come. He’d played for three different head coaches in his first six NFL seasons. The first half of 2016 was the toughest stretch of his career, and he thought he might get traded in the offseason. Then there was the phone call to his father, Ed, before the Super Bowl season started.

Ed can’t remember if it was the second or third preseason game, but the first-team offense was struggling. He hates watching his sons — Jason and Travis, tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs — play in the preseason. The whole time, he’s just hoping that the boys don’t get hurt. Kelce came out of the game healthy, so Ed considered it a success and went to bed. At about 12:30 a.m., his phone rang. It was Jason.

“He starts going into this spiel,” Ed recalled. “‘This was so bad today. I don’t have to do this. I got enough money saved.’ He says, ‘I could live very well and never work another day in my life.’ And that’s probably true because he doesn’t buy stuff. He invests, he saves.”

Ed had received calls like this before from his eldest son. Sometimes, Kelce just needed to vent, so Ed barely said anything during the 45-minute conversation. Kelce wondered aloud whether this was going to be another disappointing season like the previous two, whether the team was good enough to improve on its 7-9 record in 2016.

But then he shifted and explained how he thought the offensive line had a chance to be special. He liked the potential of the wide receivers and the running backs. He thought Carson Wentz had a chance to be special. Kelce then moved on to the defense. Fletcher Cox was in amazing shape, and Jim Schwartz was an excellent defensive coordinator. The linebackers were talented, and while the secondary was young, those guys had a great leader in Malcolm Jenkins.

“He says, ‘I’m thinking this is gonna be another one of those seasons where we’re fighting, fighting, fighting and just miss the playoffs,’” said Ed. “And then he goes and he starts going player by player, going over positions. Forty-five minutes later, he’s like, ‘If everything comes together, this could be a really special team.’ I said, ‘That’s good, that’s good.’ He says, ‘All right, I gotta go now, pops.’ I said, ‘That’s fine, good night.’”

Ed brought that conversation up to Kelce during the Super Bowl afterparty, and his son had no recollection of it. To this day, Kelce admits it must have happened, but he can’t remember picking up the phone.

“I have a lot of those calls with either my dad or my mom. I talk to my wife a lot,” Kelce said. “It’s a very frustrating game. There’s so many little details that can make the difference.”

At 30, Kelce became a Super Bowl champ in his seventh NFL season. Before the championship parade, he asked the organization if he could address the crowd. He had something to say. Now and forever, Kelce in his Mummers costume will be the lasting image that most Eagles fans have from that day. They were singing along and chanting and laughing and hugging — as Kelce delivered zinger after zinger.

But the journey that led to that moment was one filled with anger and frustration — a feeling inside Kelce that people didn’t respect him, that he had to fight for everything he wanted. There was an inner rage he had to channel just to get an opportunity — first in college and then in the NFL.

Jason Kelce won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in his seventh NFL season. (John David Mercer / USA Today Sports)

Kelce still isn’t exactly sure where the anger came from.

He remembers a neighbor picking on him when he was young and his dad telling him to stick up for himself. When the family moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Kelce tried to make friends but sometimes felt like an outcast. He was an excellent athlete and played a level up in baseball. As the youngest on the team, though, he was on the receiving end of some youthful ribbing.

“What I perceived at the time were these guys making fun of me,” said Kelce, who has spoken to sports psychologists and received counseling. “I was always kind of like the brunt of the joke. Now I understand it was just busting balls. Basically, every time that I have an outburst, I always have the feeling of being disrespected. And it’s a perception. I think it really roots itself in my father telling me to always stand up for myself. And that wasn’t always the reality, if that makes sense. It was just something that in my head, the moment I felt like I wasn’t being respected, the moment I wasn’t being treated fairly, I would make sure that didn’t happen again.”

Kelce was suspended nearly every year in elementary school for fighting. By middle school, he had the reputation as “that crazy Kelce kid,” according to his mom, Donna. So people stopped pushing his buttons. Travis, his younger brother, had a much easier time.

“He was lucky because they were all afraid of Jason so they left Travis alone,” Donna said. “(Jason) wasn’t a bully. Never, ever. He was always the one that was helping the kids out that didn’t have any chance to fight for themselves.”

As he got older, Kelce was able to take his aggression out through athletics. He was a star linebacker at Cleveland Heights High School and also played hockey and lacrosse while playing the saxophone in the jazz band. As a sophomore, Kelce started drawing interest from various colleges. He thought it was a foregone conclusion he’d play football in college. But when it came time for programs to hand out scholarships, Kelce didn’t get a single offer.

He had never committed to a full-time football offseason program because he was always playing other sports, so there were questions about his size and strength. His senior year, Kelce had to decide: Play at a I-AA or Division II school or try to walk on at a Division I program.

“My parents almost pushed me to go to a Division I school,” Kelce said. “I think they both knew that’s what I wanted to do. And I think they both had a lot of confidence that I could do that. Maybe they didn’t, and I didn’t know it at the time. They never even hinted that they didn’t think I could play Division I football.”

Around this time, Kelce’s grandfather, Donald Blalock, gave him a card that included a quote that was attributed to Calvin Coolidge.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.”

Kelce is not big on motivational sayings or inspirational quotes, but this one stuck with him. He kept the card in his wallet, never losing sight of the message.

When Kelce was growing up, Blalock lived in Sioux Falls, S.D., and wasn’t around a lot. But he liked to write letters and pass along helpful messages. He would have loved to be at the Super Bowl, but physically, it would have been difficult. Instead, he watched on TV and afterward saw Kelce recall the Coolidge quote that meant so much to him.

Earlier this year, Blalock died at 87. During the Eagles’ bye week, Kelce joined his family in Vermilion, Ohio, to scatter his grandfather’s ashes.

“It was an emotional weekend,” said Donna. “But he hung in there and he saw Jason win the Super Bowl. And he was with it enough to know exactly what happened and everything. And he heard the comments Jason made about him. It came full circle. And it was awesome.”

De’Angelo Smith remembers seeing the broken window near the training room at Cincinnati.

“When I saw it, I was like, ‘What the hell is wrong with him?’” Smith recalled. “Then a couple people told me, ‘You jumped in front of him.’ I’m like, ‘It happened to me when I was a freshman. You gotta pay your dues.’”

Kelce didn’t understand the concept at the time. He arrived at the University of Cincinnati in 2006 already feeling slighted as a scholarship-less walk-on. Before a practice, he waited in line for about a half-hour to get his ankles taped. Smith was a veteran on the team and a scholarship player, so he cut in front of Kelce and got taped first. Kelce didn’t like that, so he took out his frustration by shattering a nearby window with his fist. The next day, there was a sign-up sheet for everyone who wanted to get taped up.

“He actually won the deal because he got the sign-up sheet and I couldn’t jump the line anymore,” Smith said with a laugh.

“Just something as simple as that,” Kelce said. “But to me, it was like, ‘Why is this guy not respecting me? What’s the problem here? He’s not showing me (respect).’ But, and this is the problem, this is something I was talking to my mom about at Thanksgiving, in my head, it was always justified. And when I talked to my parents about it, it was always justified. But in my head wasn’t always what reality was. This guy who cut, De’Angelo Smith, was a veteran player. And that was kind of the understood rule. It wasn’t like he was picking on me as a personal attack. This was just a veteran saying, ‘I’m playing so I get to go in front of you in the tape line.’ There was always a reasoning in my head — not that that justifies anything. And I still struggle with it.”

Kelce had no interest in being the stereotypical walk-on — just along for the ride, might get a few meaningless snaps. He was out to destroy anything in his way. He wanted to make sure the coaches noticed him.

Kelce remembers practicing against a high-profile recruit named Freddie Lenix. Every time they took the field, Kelce was obsessed with proving he was a better player. He wanted to show that he deserved to play and receive a scholarship.

“Being a walk-on’s different,” he said. “I didn’t really feel like I deserved anything. I really feel that being a walk-on probably humbled me in the best way possible. It really forced me to have a realistic look at maybe I’m not good enough. Maybe I need to work harder to be better.

“Really, a lot of guys I don’t think liked me that much. I think guys liked me and respected me, but I know a lot of guys hated me for the way I practiced for sure. I had to try and do something to stand out, in my mind. I didn’t want to just be like the other walk-on guys that were just tackling dummies. If I was out there, I wasn’t just gonna just be some guy that you were gonna push around. That wasn’t the way it was gonna happen. And the coaches kind of revved that into us, too. I really took that to heart.”

Strength and conditioning coach Paul Longo believed Kelce should make the switch from linebacker to offensive line. Brian Kelly’s staff previously coached at Central Michigan, where it had moved Joe Staley from tight end to offensive tackle. The coaches felt Kelce would be a standout athlete at guard or center, and had the demeanor for the positions. They ended up being right. Longo helped Kelce add muscle and weight. He made the transition, starting 38 games in his college career — 26 at left guard and the final 12 at center.

“Offensive-line play made sense to me,” Kelce said. “I never was really a good SAT guy. I’m really slow at reading so I don’t do good with timed tests. I don’t even know what my Wonderlic was. It was probably very average. But one thing I’ve always been really good at, and I still remember a teacher telling me when I was in second grade, I’ve always been really good with like, puzzles and patterns. I’ve always been really good with like, spatial awareness and being able to pick out little itty, bitty differences in things. That’s, I think, more applicable for a football player than some other intellectual test. I kind of always have been good at that for whatever reason.”

While Kelce was making a successful transition to offense and giving himself a chance at the NFL, the temper still got the best of him at times.

One Friday morning, the coaches split the roster into two teams. Players had to do wall-sits next to each other. They had a 2×4 resting on their laps, and a coach would walk across it. One player at a time would run a relay circuit while the others continued the wall-sit. Kelce’s team was losing, so he decided to do something about it. When it was his turn to run the circuit, he crossed paths with a player from the opposing team.

“I come running across the turf and instead of just running and getting back in line, I just completely decleat the other guy on the other team who’s running across,” Kelce said. “You kind of crossed, but you weren’t really supposed to hit each other. This is just a race. But there weren’t really any rules established.”

Kelce credits Longo and Cincinnati offensive line coach Jeff Quinn for his success, but Quinn knew about the temper and would push his buttons. During one practice, not liking what he had seen, Quinn started testing Kelce, questioning whether he was good enough, whether college football was the right path for him. Kelce snapped.

“I would lean hard on Jason, and so I really got after him,” Quinn said. “And he just, God, he lost his mind almost. And he rips his helmet off. Thank God he didn’t hit me with his helmet. But he whipped it like 25 rows up. … He just whips it, and I’m sure there were a few choice words that came out of his mouth. And we were all kind of a little bit stunned and shocked. I told him, ‘You get your ass up there and you go get that damn helmet.’ That was one of those moments.”

Said Kelce: “I’ve always had a bit of a (temper), and I’ve gotten better with time, this anger and aggression has always been something that I’ve had. And as I’ve gotten older, that’s gone away more and more. I used to have, back in high school, really bad problems controlling it in sports. Besides maybe elementary school, in elementary school, I would get into fights. But I never really got into fights outside of sports. I kind of used sports to get this aggression and youthful energy out of my system. But there was like, a switch. Not always the best thing, for sure. I’ve done some very stupid things that I’ve had to apologize for. I remember a coach in college telling me, ‘What you did, I lost all respect for you.’ I’m not trying to play this up. This is probably one of the biggest problems I’ve had with myself. I’ve seen counselors for it and stuff. I think it’s gotten a lot better for sure. But every once in a while, I’ll have — it’s basically a temper tantrum is what it is.”

Somewhat of a breakthrough came in college, when Kelce talked to a sports psychologist. He realized that most of the incidents involved friends, teammates or coaches — people whom he respected. That was the issue. He couldn’t understand why people he respected, in turn, disrespected him.

The issues never seemed to surface in games. During his NFL career, Kelce has never been called for a late hit or unnecessary roughness. The only personal foul on his entire résumé is a face mask, which happened once.

“They almost never happened in games, and they never happened with people that I didn’t know or didn’t have a relationship with,” Kelce said. “That was the underlying thing. In practice, you have more time to process these feelings of disrespect. And then, not to mention that in practice or with people that you know, you have an expectation through those relationships that they’re going to treat you with respect. If it’s somebody that you don’t know, you don’t really have that expectation. You know what I mean? It really took getting to know that. That’s when I started to understand that mechanism better.

“I didn’t go into the games with the feeling that I was going to be treated with respect. You go into a game, you’re going into a fight. I have no expectation of a level of respect, whereas in practice, when my coach is yelling at me for God knows what, and it’s not in a respectful way, well, this guy should have respect for me. I’m out here busting my ass every single day with him, and I’m working hard, and he’s talking to me like this? So that’s why it almost never manifests itself in games.”

When Kelce signed a six-year, $37.5 million contract in 2014, Quinn was the second person he called after his parents to say thanks.

“Those are incidents. Those are not who Jason was,” Quinn said. “You could never have enough guys like Jason Kelce in your foxhole. Could never. Those guys are at a premium. They are special.”

Jason Kelce attends a Cincinnati-Temple game in October in Philadelphia. (Chris Szagola / AP Photo)

When former Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd was tasked with watching prospects before the 2011 draft, he couldn’t take his eyes off of Kelce. The scouting community dinged Kelce for his size, but Mudd didn’t care much. He focused, instead, on the balance, leverage and range. Kelce had all of those things.

On an official pre-draft visit with the Eagles, the organization asked him about the issues he’d had in college with his temper. Kelce was accountable for his mistakes, and that was all Mudd needed to hear. He wanted an athletic center, and Kelce reminded him of a player he coached with the Colts: Jeff Saturday.

When the draft got to the fourth round, Mudd started pestering then-head coach Andy Reid to take Kelce.

“He said, ‘Don’t worry, we’re gonna get him,’” Mudd said. “‘I promise you, we’re gonna get him.’”

When the fifth round came, Mudd got on Reid again, but it still wasn’t time. At this point, Kelce was hoping to make it to undrafted free agency. He’d hit it off with Reid and Mudd, and wanted to sign with the Eagles. But the team ended up drafting him in the sixth round with the 191st overall selection.

When the team started practicing in the summer, after the end of a lockout, it wasn’t long before Mudd eyed Kelce to be the starter. Reid thought Mudd’s plan might be too aggressive, but finally, in the preseason, Mudd convinced him to give Kelce a shot after the first series.

“He will be able to handle the mental part and the psychological part,” Mudd told Reid. “He’ll be able to make the calls, and he won’t shit his pants. Well, yes, he will, but no different than anyone else. When he messes up, he’s not gonna go to shit.”

Jason Kelce on the sideline during a preseason game in 2011. (Michael Perez/AP Photo)

Kelce started all 16 games as a rookie and has started 106 games overall since 2011. In his second season, Kelce suffered a knee injury and played in only two games. Reid was fired after the season. In 2015, the Eagles went 7-9, and owner Jeffrey Lurie fired head coach Chip Kelly.

Everything came together in 2017 with the 13-3 season and the Super Bowl title.

Kelce has long been a favorite of Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Stoutland often praises Kelce’s football intelligence and still marvels at the key in-game adjustments the center made against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

“They had a linebacker on one side, and he ran over at the last second,” Stoutland said. “LeGarrette Blount ran to the right on a mid-zone play. Between Kelce and (Stefen Wisniewski), there was a conversion call. Now we had talked about these calls prior, but they ran over late and they ran a blitz, and we brought the whole line in unison. And LeGarrette really, he did a great job of reading it and he went off to the right untouched, down the sideline. It was a big play in the game. That was not something we had done during preparation for that game.

“He’s so smart and sees things. Visually, he sees things. He sees safety rotations. He’s a quarterback playing center.”

In the days following the Super Bowl, Kelce couldn’t sleep.

Fans get to enjoy the run as it happens. But for players and coaches, there’s always the next practice or the next game. Kelce celebrated like everyone else, but it wasn’t until days later that he realized what had happened. Then he started to think about his personal journey: From being a walk-on to getting drafted in the sixth round to the disappointing seasons, the injuries and the trade rumors.

Kelce thought about everyone else’s respective journeys — the other offensive linemen, Nick Foles, the coaches. That’s when the seeds of the parade speech began to get planted in his head. To this day, his wife, Kylie, is the only person who’s heard the raw, uncensored version. “My wife probably helped me not say certain things,” Kelce says. “I literally woke her up at 3 in the morning one time because I couldn’t sleep, and I’m talking to her about the song I had just heard. In running by her different things that I was going to say, she did a phenomenal job of like, ‘I don’t know if I would say that.’ I think she got very much the raw emotion.”

The morning of the parade, Kelce made sure to eat a big breakfast. The players were told not to bring their own alcohol on the busses (not everyone followed the rules). Once Kelce, decked out in his Mummers costume, saw how quickly they were moving, he decided to get out and walk the route.

“I got out of the bus right away, pretty much ran down the entire length of Broad Street, grabbing beers from anyone who would offer them and chugging them,” Kelce said. “I would be lying if I said I knew the count, but it was certainly north of 20. It was a lot.”

He’s a big guy with a high tolerance, so on a scale of one to 10, Kelce put his drunkenness at a five. He wanted to make sure he could deliver the speech.

Kelce didn’t write anything down, but he knew the topics and the people he wanted to reference. He saw a connection between his story, the team’s story and the city’s story. Kelce spent much of his football life fighting for respect. He felt like Philadelphia was always doing the same thing.

Finally, everyone had earned it. Finally, they could be called champions.

“I think the speech gets misunderstood a lot,” he said. “People think that I’m criticizing the media or that I was saying everybody was wrong with all these narratives. But that’s kind of not what it really was. It was more that these are all things that people had to endure or persevere through to get to the ultimate team championship.

“The whole speech and the whole season, my story and everything, ultimately it really correlated with Philadelphia’s story. And I think that’s why it was such a special season and that speech resonated with so many people.”

Acouple of months ago, Jason and Travis Kelce became the first pair of brothers to play against each other in the Super Bowl, as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs played for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Chiefs would end up edging the Eagles in a thrilling game that saw both teams offense’s thrive, giving fans an exciting game at the biggest stage of them all.

The Kelce brothers also recently launched a podcast called “New Heights,” which has been a huge success, giving fans and media all sort of hilarious clips.

Jason and Travis Kelce talk about Antonio Brown’s drop kick

During one episode of their podcast “New Heights” Jason and Travis Kelce talked about the possibility of the NFL allowing fights, just like hockey and the NHL do.

Now during the latest episode of the show the two brothers once again talked about the matter and even remembered Antonio Brown’s 2016 kick to the face during a kick return against Cleveland.

Jason even suggested that Travis should be allowed to do that, comparing it to a stiff arm.

Grab a Kleenex because this one’s a tearjerker, courtesy of Jason Kelce and the unbreakable bond he formed with Eagles trainer Joe O’Pella that began in the trainer’s room and has since transcended beyond the gridiron.

As most NFL fans know by now, Jason fought back tears at a news conference in Philadelphia on Monday to announce his retirement from the Eagles after 13 seasons. In that time, Jason etched his name in Eagles lore, as a Super Bowl champion, six-time All-Pro honoree and seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

All of which is to say his next stop will undoubtedly be Canton, Ohio.

Travis Kelce was equally as emotional sitting next to mama Kelce. And then there’s Joe, a longtime Eagles trainer who met Jason during his second season with the Eagles. As Joe tells it, Jason tore his knee that year and it was Joe who lobbied to be Jason’s trainer because Jason “needed to be treated like an athlete, not a conventional offensive lineman.”

What would occur over the next 12-plus years, Joe said in a sweet tribute to Jason on Instagram, would impact his life in a way he never could have imagined. See, for years, Joe’s the trainer who taped Jason’s ankles and thumbs every day for 13 seasons, except for a few times in Jason’s last year.

@trainerjoeo/Instagram

@trainerjoeo/Instagram

It was during the 2023-24 NFL season when Joe was diagnosed with cancer. Joe said undergoing chemo and radiation forced him away from his job duties. He was forced to miss Jason’s last game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Wild Card Round. The 32-9 loss not only eliminated the Eagles from the playoffs, but it also robbed Joe what would turn out to be one last opportunity to tape Jason’s thumbs and ankles.

Or so he thought.

Fast forward to Jason’s news conference to announce his retirement, Joe said the Eagles legend asked him to do just that for that news conference. Eagle-eyed fans noticed Jason walking around the Eagles’ facility with his ankles taped up, courtesy of Joe.

@trainerjoeo/Instagram

@trainerjoeo/Instagram

“You all know about the on-field accomplishments, and many of the off-field ones, too, but what this man has meant to me and now my family over the past decade plus is nearly indescribable,” Joe wrote in a lengthy tribute to Jason on Instagram. “In what would be his final season, when I was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo radiation and chemo, he offered his shore house if I needed to get away, and offered to pay for meal services to help my wife and me out, and he called me randomly when I had been home, too sick to come in because of chemo, just to check on me and chat about random things.”

As Joe put it, that’s who Jason is as a person.

“I taped this guy’s ankles and thumbs everyday for 13 seasons, and when he played his last game in Tampa, again I couldn’t be there due to cancer,” Joe continued in his tribute. “And when he told me he would be retiring and I expressed my regret of not being the last person to ever tape him, he offered to have me tape him for his retirement press conference. That’s who he is. And I hope theses stories can add to an already unbelievable legacy.”

Mission accomplished.

Jason Kelce will join ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” after retiring from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The person confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity on Monday because it was not expected to be announced until the ESPN/Disney upfront presentation to advertisers on May 14. The Athletic was the first to report on Kelce’s choice.

Kelce is expected to replace Robert Griffin III, who would continue with the network as a college football analyst. Scott Van Pelt became the host of the “Monday Night Football” pregame show last season with Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark as the other analysts.

Kelce played 13 years for the Eagles and was the most sought-after former player by the networks for the upcoming season. He participated in last year’s NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop, which used to be known as the “Broadcast Bootcamp.”

FILE – Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce celebrates after a touchdown catch by his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87), during an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, NY.(Matt Durisko | AP Photo/Matt Durisko)

This is all new territory for me. I have even more respect for it now,” Kelce said at the time. “It’s very hard to do something live, reactive of stimulus that just happened and having something clever and meaningful to say.”

Kelce made an appearance on Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” during the Eagles bye week last season when he was an analyst during the second quarter of the game between the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears.

Kelce is expected to continue doing his “New Heights” podcast with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Jason Kelce, second from right, and Travis Kelce, right, pose for a photo with fans courtside at the Celtics-Cavaliers NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

With Kelce off the market, former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick becomes the most sought-after TV free agent. Belichick got solid reviews as an analyst on Pat McAfee’s livestream during the first round of the NFL draft last week.

Monday ended up being a busy day when it came to NFL pregame show moves. CBS announced earlier in the day that Matt Ryan is joining “The NFL Today” after splitting time last season in the studio and being a game analyst. Ryan officially retired last week after a 15-year career with the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts from 2008-22.

The network also announced Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason will leave after long runs on the show. Simms came to CBS in 1998 after the network won the rights to the AFC. He was the lead game analyst until he moved to the studio in 2017.

Brothers fight.

Travis and Jason Kelce might be the most beloved pair of brothers in the NFL this side of the Watt family. But, as with all boys, they’ll be boys, too. Fights happen, punches are thrown, but at the end of it, brothers hug it out.

On Monday night’s “Manningcast” broadcast of the Bengals vs. Browns matchup, the brothers showed up dressed up as the Manning brothers for Halloween.

And while the brothers talked about the secret behind the success of their respective teams, Travis. when asked, explained the last time that the duo locked horns — and how it almost put their dad in the hospital.

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I would say — Jason tells a great story of our last actual fist fight, where he punched me in the face after playing a game of basketball. I had finally got to the point where I was looking him eye-to-eye in high school. I picked him up and threw him onto the kitchen floor and knocked the stove off its hinges and everything. We got yelled at by mom and almost injured dad in the midst of it all. That’s what ended up breaking up the fight — we almost hurt my dad and sent him to the hospital. That was the end of us fighting.

All’s well that ends well: The Kelce brothers clearly overcame whatever beef they had in the moment and squashed it with a good ol’ sparring session. They both found their way to the NFL, too, so clearly they can get out their frustrations hitting other people instead of each other.

The Kelce brothers have only ever faced off against one another three times in their careers, and Travis’ Chiefs hold the edge over Jason’s Eagles 3-0 in those matchups.

If things keep going the way they are, the next time they meet could be in Super Bowl 57. The stakes will be a bit higher than a basketball game, though,

Philadelphia Eagles veteran center Jason Kelce admitted it was his “cheap shot” that set off a fight during a Tuesday joint practice against the Indianapolis Colts that prompted an early end to the session between both teams.

With the Eagles and Colts set to play in Philadelphia on Thursday in the teams’ preseason finale, both squads are going through joint practices at the Eagles’ facility. During Tuesday morning’s practice, Kelce took exception with Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin knocking Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell to the ground on consecutive snaps. After it happened the second time, Kelce came charging down the field and barreled into Franklin, setting off a brawl that emptied both sidelines.

After the players were separated, both teams decided to end practice around 13 minutes before its scheduled conclusion.

“I think tensions just got the better of me,” Kelce, a five-time All-Pro, said Tuesday after practice. “That certainly doesn’t belong out there on the field. And just a little bit of shame that it got to that level, that I did what I did … . I think I didn’t handle things properly at the end.”

Gainwell said that he appreciated Kelce for “being a professional and sticking up for his brothers” and said tensions were high after Philadelphia “whooped their (butts)” during the practice.

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Franklin was born in Philadelphia and said he supported the Eagles when he was younger.

“I thought the OG would at least look me in the eye before (hitting me),” Franklin said of Kelce. “But it’s all good. I’ll get a chance to look him in the eye on Thursday, so we’re going to be OK.”

It is unlikely that Kelce and Franklin, both of whom are starters for their respective teams will play in the preseason finale.

That wasn’t the first time in Tuesday’s practice that players had to be separated. During a drill between the Indianapolis offense and the Philadelphia defense, Eagles defensive linemen Jalen Carter and Derek Barnett met in the backfield for a would-be sack of Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson; quarterbacks wear non-contact jerseys and are not supposed to be hit. Barnett, however, knocked the ball out of Richardson’s hands, prompting Colt offensive linemen to shove him, leading to a small dustup.

“You want to play this game with emotion and intensity, but you can’t obviously let your emotion take control and cause you to do something, that’ll hurt the team in the long run,” Kelce said about head coach Nick Sirianni’s message after practice.

“You can’t be out there acting on every instinct that we have, then we’re not going to be unified, working together, and (those are) penalties that will cost us games and ultimately the season. So certainly, (Sirianni) used it as a way to say how we can’t react in situations like this.”

LeBron James Is The Queen, Not King, Says Ex-Heat Teammate Shane Battier in Michael Jordan GOAT Debat

In a surprising twist to the ongoing debate over the greatest basketball player of all time (GOAT), former Miami Heat teammate Shane Battier has weighed in with a provocative statement, asserting that LeBron James should be referred to as “the Queen,” not “the King,” in comparison to basketball legend Michael Jordan. Battier’s assertion adds a new dimension to the age-old discussion, sparking fresh controversy and prompting fans and analysts to reconsider their perspectives on basketball greatness.

The debate over whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan deserves the title of the GOAT has raged on for years, with passionate arguments made on both sides. Jordan’s illustrious career with the Chicago Bulls and his six NBA championships have long been held up as the gold standard of basketball excellence, while LeBron’s remarkable versatility and longevity have earned him widespread acclaim and admiration.

Shane Battier’s assertion that LeBron James should be referred to as “the Queen” rather than “the King” introduces a provocative new angle to the debate. While the statement may be seen as controversial by some, it reflects Battier’s unique perspective as a former teammate of LeBron’s and adds an intriguing layer to the discussion.

By referring to LeBron James as “the Queen,” Shane Battier challenges traditional gender stereotypes and norms surrounding masculinity in sports. The designation acknowledges LeBron’s dominance and authority on the basketball court while subverting expectations and inviting a reevaluation of gender roles in athletics.

Battier’s choice of terminology may also be interpreted as a statement of empowerment and representation for female athletes and fans. By likening LeBron James to a queen—a figure traditionally associated with power, leadership, and sovereignty—Battier celebrates LeBron’s influence and impact beyond the realm of basketball.

Shane Battier’s statement has ignited a firestorm of debate and discussion within the basketball community, with fans and analysts alike weighing in on the implications of his assertion. Some have praised Battier for challenging conventions and sparking thought-provoking dialogue, while others have criticized his characterization of LeBron James as disrespectful or inappropriate.

Regardless of one’s stance on the matter, Shane Battier’s statement has undeniably prompted a reconsideration of the language and imagery used to describe basketball greatness. His assertion encourages fans to look beyond traditional labels and narratives and to embrace a more inclusive and expansive understanding of athletic excellence.

Shane Battier’s assertion that LeBron James should be referred to as “the Queen” in the ongoing debate over the basketball GOAT adds a thought-provoking dimension to the discussion. Whether viewed as controversial or empowering, Battier’s statement challenges conventional wisdom and invites fans to rethink their perspectives on basketball greatness in the modern era.

Jason Kelce is making holiday memories with his little girls.

In an exclusive clip from the family’s 2023 holiday card photo shoot in partnership with Minted, the Philadelphia Eagles center, 36, reads the classic poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore to daughters Bennett, 8 months, Elliotte, 2, and Wyatt, 3.

Wyatt and Bennett listened, perched on mom Kylie Kelce’s lap, with the infant getting adorably distracted playing with mom’s hair. Elliotte sat on her dad’s lap. In the middle of the picture book, the family is startled as they hear “ho, ho, ho!”

“Oh my gosh! That even surprised dad,” Jason said as Santa approached the family of five.

“I came to see you all,” Santa said, stooping down to make eye contact with the kids.

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Jason Kelce and wife Kylie with daughters Wyatt, Bennett, and Elliotte.STEPHANIE BEATTY FOR MINTED

“Oh my goodness,” Elliotte gasped, then collected herself to ask, “Can I have dinosaurs?”

“Well I will do the very best I can for you this year,” Santa said.

Wyatt then chimed in, sharing, “I want Barbie!”

The last scene showed Jason reading his family the last line of the poem, proclaiming, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Kelce family sharing a laugh.STEPHANIE BEATTY FOR MINTED

Speaking with PEOPLE about the magic of the holiday season, the 31-year-old mom of three said the best part is the joy of “getting all of us together in one spot.”

“Throughout football season, we have a lot of situations where, if there’s a big game or something like that, everyone will be in for the weekend, and that’s awesome. Every so often we luck out and get my mother-in-law and father-in-law in at the same time. Sometimes we get Jason’s aunt and uncle,” she said.

The holidays bring a whole new level of joy and fun to what are already memorable get-togethers.

“Really just the prospect of having everyone descend and have as many Kelces and Blalocks, which is his mom’s side of the family, in the house at the same time, is enough to really brighten your day,” Kylie said.

“Because everyone’s so spread out, it’s really hard to get people together. So to get together, sit down, and enjoy dedicated family time — and to get to enjoy delicious food, the food is top of the charts — it’s just the best thing that that we can have.”

Mj Had Scottie And Rodman, Jokic Has Murray And Porter, Lebron Has Nobody!

The sentiment that LeBron James lacks support akin to other legendary players like Michael Jordan with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, or Nikola Jokić with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., is a common refrain among sports enthusiasts. However, such a statement overlooks the contributions of LeBron’s teammates throughout his illustrious career.

While it’s true that LeBron James has often been the focal point of his teams, attributing his success solely to his individual brilliance undermines the collective effort of those who have played alongside him. From his early days with the Cleveland Cavaliers to his championship runs with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers again, LeBron has been surrounded by talented players who have complemented his skills and elevated the team’s performance.

Players like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis, and many others have been integral parts of LeBron’s championship pursuits, providing scoring, defense, and leadership when needed most. LeBron’s ability to elevate the play of his teammates is a testament to his basketball IQ and his knack for making everyone around him better.

Moreover, LeBron James has also had the guidance and support of experienced coaches and mentors throughout his career, including the likes of Erik Spoelstra, Tyronn Lue, and Frank Vogel, who have helped shape his game and maximize his impact on the court.

While comparisons to other NBA legends are inevitable, it’s essential to recognize that each player’s journey is unique, shaped by different circumstances and surrounded by distinct supporting casts. LeBron James may not have had the same level of star power as some of his counterparts, but his ability to lead, inspire, and elevate those around him is a hallmark of his greatness.

In conclusion, while the notion that LeBron James has “nobody” compared to other legendary players may be a popular narrative, it fails to acknowledge the contributions of his teammates and coaches who have played pivotal roles in his success. LeBron’s legacy is not just about individual accolades but also about the collective achievements of the teams he has led throughout his storied career.

Meet Lebron And Savannah James’ Three Children: Son Bronny And Bryce Maximus Are Following In Their Father’s Footsteps, While 8-year-old Zhuri Nova Is A Youtube Star

LeBron James, the NBA superstar, and his wife Savannah are not only known for their achievements on the court and in the business world but also for their beautiful family. With three children who are already making waves of their own, the James family has captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Let’s meet the next generation of the James family:

Bronny James

Bronny James, the eldest son of LeBron and Savannah, is already making a name for himself in the basketball world. With a natural talent for the game and a strong work ethic inherited from his father, Bronny is poised to follow in LeBron’s footsteps and make his mark on the court.

Bronny’s passion for basketball is evident in his dedication to the sport, spending countless hours honing his skills and perfecting his game. As he continues to develop as a player, all eyes are on Bronny as he embarks on his journey to basketball stardom.

Bryce Maximus James

Bryce Maximus James, the second son of LeBron and Savannah, is also showing promise as a young athlete. While he may share his father’s love for basketball, Bryce is carving his own path and establishing himself as a talented player in his own right.

Like his older brother, Bryce is no stranger to the basketball court, showcasing his skills and determination with each game he plays. With the support of his family and the guidance of his father, Bryce is on track to make a name for himself in the world of sports.

Zhuri Nova James

At just 8 years old, Zhuri Nova James is already making waves as a YouTube star. With her infectious personality and natural charisma, Zhuri has captured the hearts of viewers around the world, earning a dedicated following on her channel.

Zhuri’s YouTube channel showcases her creativity and zest for life, featuring a variety of content ranging from vlogs to challenges and DIY projects. With the support of her family, Zhuri is using her platform to spread joy and positivity to her growing audience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, LeBron and Savannah James’ three children – Bronny, Bryce Maximus, and Zhuri Nova – are already making their mark on the world in their own unique ways. Whether it’s on the basketball court or on YouTube, the next generation of the James family is poised for success, following in the footsteps of their incredibly talented parents.