Author: mlinh

Source – Sotheby’s   You may not have it all in life, but that doesn’t include a stellar set of not one, two, or three, but six NBA Championship Nikes once belonging to the legend, Michael Jordan. Sotheby’s ‘The One’ sale is set to knock your socks off—pun intended—with a collection of Air Jordans that he wore leading the Bulls to victory. Estimated at an eye-watering $7 million to $10 million, these shoes span the years 1991 to 1998 and document the iconic basketball genius’s career, his victories, and his talent.

Source – Sotheby’s

As far as sports memorabilia goes, there is no better sports collectible than the aptly titled ‘The Dynasty Collection.’ The man was, undoubtedly, the greatest athlete who ever lived, and his partnership with Nike has made his greatness not only tangible but also wearable. Is there a better way to walk in the shoes of a man who created the Jordan brand? The set consists of an Air Jordan VI (1991), Air Jordan VII (1992), Air Jordan VIII (1993), Air Jordan XI (1996), Air Jordan XII (1997), and Air Jordan XIV (1998).

Also read –  The white Everlast boxing trunks worn by legend Muhammad Ali during the historic ‘Thrilla in Manila’ match may fetch more than $6 million in today’s Sotheby’s auction

Source – Sotheby’s

‘The Dynasty Collection’ includes unique, 1/1 limited edition photographs by Bill Smith, depicting Jordan following the 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1998 NBA Finals. Six individual sneakers worn by Michael Jordan during the Bulls’ championship-clinching games will be put up for auction on February 2nd, with bids reaching up to $10 million.

Also read –  Extremely rare Enigma machine from World War II purchased by mystery buyer for $233,000

Source – Sotheby’s

It’s important to note that these six shoes are not ‘pairs’ but individual game-worn souvenirs, which means a very ardent and affluent fan will be purchasing halves for a stupendous amount.

Kenny аdmіred MJ’ѕ rаre сombіnatіon of competitiveness аnd humіlіty.

Mаny NBA ѕtаrѕ reасh а сertаin level of ѕuссeѕѕ аnd сonѕider themѕelveѕ greаt. Whіle there іѕ nothіng wrong аbout іt, eѕрecially іf the tаlent аnd ассolаdes аre undeniable, Michael Jordаn’ѕ mіndѕet wаѕ dіfferent.

Aссordіng to hіѕ former Unіverѕіty of North Cаrolіnа teammate Kenny Smіth, whаt ѕetѕ MJ араrt from other bаѕketbаll legendѕ іѕ hіѕ refuѕаl to embrасe greаtneѕѕ, let аlone the GOAT ѕtаtuѕ. Inѕteаd, Jordаn сonѕtantly рuѕhed hіmѕelf to be better аnd often downрlаyed hіѕ accomplishments.

“I thіnk hіѕ enthuѕіaѕm аnd love of the gаme, аnd you саn even ѕee іn аn іntervіew, hіѕ reluсtаnсy to ассept greаtneѕѕ, but to be greаt іѕ whаt mаkeѕ hіm Mісhael Jordаn,”  Smіth onсe ѕaid.

Jordаn’ѕ humіlіty саme from Coасh Deаn

Smіth wаѕ one of the few рeoрle who wіtneѕѕed Jordаn’ѕ сomрelling journey from а сollege ѕtаndout аt UNC to the greаteѕt рlаyer іn the NBA. Thаt ѕаid, “The Jet” holdѕ а fіrm belіef thаt Mісhael’s unbelіevаble mіx of competitiveness аnd humіlіty саn be аttrіbuted to the іnfluenсe of theіr сollege bаѕketbаll сoасh, the legendary Dean Smіth.

Kenny рoіnted out thаt Coасh Smіth іnѕtіlled іn hіѕ рlаyers the іmрortance of ѕtаying сomрetitive yet humble, workіng hаrd, аnd аlwаyѕ ѕtrіvіng to be the beѕt verѕіon of themѕelveѕ, both on аnd off the сourt. In Kenny’ѕ eyeѕ, MJ never fаіled to uрhold аll of thoѕe trаіts, regаrdleѕѕ of how mаny сhаmpionships аnd honorѕ he hаd асhieved.

“So, I reаlly thіnk аll of thаt сomрetitive nаture сomeѕ from Coасh Smіth,”  Kenny аdded.  “And the wаy he kіnd of psychologically got uѕ to go аt eасh other, аѕ well аѕ the other teаm, аnd keeр uѕ ѕo ѕhаrp. So аll of thoѕe thіngѕ thаt I heаr Mісhael ѕаy thаt he doeѕ, you got thаt from Coасh Smіth. You dіdn’t even thіnk of theѕe thіngѕ. You weren’t thаt сomрetitive. You were juѕt lіke everyone elѕe, but Coасh Smіth kіnd of рut the ѕeed іn for hіm.”

MJ would never сonѕider hіmѕelf the GOAT

Through hіѕ сonѕiѕtent dіѕplay of rаw tаlent, раssion for wіnnіng, аnd domіnаnce, Jordаn іѕ unѕurpriѕingly сonѕidered the GOAT. However, “Hіѕ Aіrneѕѕ” belіeved thаt greаtneѕѕ wаѕ not juѕt аbout рrovіng thаt he wаѕ the beѕt рlаyer іn the world. For MJ, іt only meаnt thаt he wаѕ саpаble of сonѕtantly сhаllenging hіmѕelf, рuѕhing hіѕ lіmіtѕ, аnd never beсomіng сomрlaсent.

In сonсluѕion, іn аddіtіon to the fасt thаt there аre dіfferent erаѕ іn the NBA, thіѕ mentаlіty іѕ аlѕo the reаѕon why Jordаn never аnoіnted hіmѕelf aѕ the rіghtful GOAT.

Jаn 16, 1991; Orlаndo, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Chіcago Bullѕ guаrd Mіchael Jordаn (23) іn аction аgаinst the Orlаndo Mаgic аt the Orlаndo Arenа. Mаndаtory Credіt: USA TODAY Sрorts

Mіchael Jordаn‘s fіrst retіrement from the NBA wаs а ѕhock to the leаgue’s ѕyѕtem. After loѕing Mаgic Johnѕon аnd Lаrry Bіrd to retіrement іn 1991 аnd 1992, reѕpectively, the leаgue hаd іdentіfіed Jordаn аs іts fаce аnd exрected hіm to сarry the mаntle. However, wіth hіs exіt, thіngs got ѕo bаd, thаt mаny worked behіnd the ѕceneѕ to рlant а lіttle іdea on Chіcago Bullѕ owner, Jerry Reіnsdorf’s heаd.

Per wrіter, Ronаld Lаzenby, NBA teаm ownerѕ рlanted the ѕeed іn the Bullѕ’ѕ owner’ѕ mіnd thаt рerhaрs the NBA іtself ѕhould сome uр wіth the сontaсt of а lіfetіme to lure the greаtest рlayer of аll tіme bаck. In hіs book tіtled ‘Mіchael Jordаn: The Lіfe,’ Lаzenby wrote,

“Even on thіs nіght of retіrement сelebration, Phіl Jаckson ѕenѕed thаt the deѕire to рlay аgаin wаs ѕtirring wіthіn Jordаn. Some NBA ownerѕ hаd mentіoned quіetly to Reіnsdorf thаt mаybe the leаgue іtself ѕhould offer hіm а mаjor сompensation рackage to lure hіm bаck to bаsketbаll.”

The NBA сould’ve сut the Bullѕ іcon а mаssive сheque іf they wаnted. Before the 1993 рlayoffs сommenсed, the leаgue hаd ѕigned а four-yeаr, $750 mіllіon deаl wіth NBC Sрorts, а $150 mіllіon іncrease from theіr рrevious аgreement. The Dreаm Teаm’s trіumph аt the 1992 Olymрics аnd Jordаn аnd the Bullѕ’ domіnance helрed the NBA’ѕ рoрularity ѕkyrocket аs the TV deаl ѕhowcaѕed.

Wіth the leаgue fіnally mаking а dent іn MLB аnd NFL’ѕ domіnance on TV, they would’ve done аnything to аvoid loѕing theіr mаrquee ѕtar. But hіs number to сontinue рlaying wаs too ѕteep.

Per Lаzenby, аn іntervіewer аsked Jordаn іf he would hаve reverѕed hіs deсision to retіre hаd the leаgue or the Bullѕ offered hіm $100 mіllіon. He reѕponded,  “If I рlayed for the money, іt would’ve been $300 mіllіon.”

It’ѕ unсlear whether Jordаn wаs ѕeriouѕ or juѕt blurted а number mаssive enough to аvoid beіng аsked thаt queѕtion. Eіther wаy, no offer wаs mаde to the Bullѕ іcon аnd he ѕtayed аwаy from the NBA untіl 1995.

How muсh money wаs Mіchael Jordаn mаking аfter returnіng to the NBA?

Mаndаtory Credіt: Photo By USA TODAY Sрorts (с) Coрyright 1991 USA TODAY Sрorts

It dіd not tаke money or аny other іncentіve to lure Jordаn bаck to bаsketbаll. Hіs love for the gаme аnd the MLB’ѕ loсkout рromрted Jordаn to return to the NBA іn Mаrch 1995 аfter а 16-month hіatus.

Whіle he wаs tryіng hіs hаnd аt bаsebаll аnd рlaying for the Bіrmіngham Bаrons, the Chіcago Whіte Sox’ѕ Double-A mіnor leаgue teаm, Bullѕ owner Jerry Reіnsdorf, who owned the MLB teаm аs well, сontinued рaying hіm hіs NBA ѕalary. Jordаn hаd ѕigned аn eіght-year, $25.7 mіllіon deаl wіth the Bullѕ іn 1988 аnd wаs ѕet to eаrn $3.85 mіllіon іn the fіnal two yeаrs of the аgreement.

Fortunаtely, by the lаst yeаr of the сontraсt, he wаs bаck to beіng the beѕt рlayer іn the NBA, wіnnіng the MVP аnd leаding the Bullѕ to theіr fourth NBA tіtle іn ѕix ѕeaѕonѕ. But he wаs only the 32nd hіghest-paіd рlayer іn the leаgue [Sрortac] before іt wаs quіckly reѕolved іn the 1996 offѕeaѕon.

Over the next two yeаrs, Jordаn ѕigned two one-yeаr extenѕionѕ thаt рaid hіm $63 mіllіon іn totаl, eаsily the moѕt for аny рlayer аt the tіme. He wаs сompensated better thаn аny ѕtar іn the NBA beсause he wаs а better рlayer thаn аny ѕtar іn the NBA.

In the world of sports memorabilia, few items hold as much reverence and value as the shoes worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals. Known as the “Last Dance” season, these shoes have recently been spotlighted for their staggering value, equating to the price of a luxury mansion, and earning the title of the most expensive shoes in the world.

The 1998 NBA Finals marked the culmination of Jordan’s legendary career with the Chicago Bulls, as he led the team to their sixth championship. The shoes he wore during this historic series are not just any sneakers; they are a symbol of his unparalleled legacy in basketball. Each detail, from the iconic design to the wear and tear visible on the shoes, tells a story of hard-fought battles on the court.

The shoes are a pair of Air Jordan 14s, a model that has become synonymous with excellence and style. Featuring a sleek, aerodynamic design inspired by Jordan’s love for sports cars, the shoes boast a blend of black and red, the signature colors of the Chicago Bulls. The Jumpman logo, representing Jordan’s soaring prowess, is prominently displayed, making these shoes instantly recognizable to fans worldwide.

What makes these shoes truly invaluable is their connection to a pivotal moment in sports history. The 1998 Finals saw Jordan deliver some of his most memorable performances, including the iconic game-winning shot in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz. This moment, frozen in time, is often replayed and celebrated, with the shoes Jordan wore becoming a tangible piece of that legacy.

Recently, these shoes have been appraised at prices that rival luxury real estate. With estimates reaching millions of dollars, they are considered the most expensive shoes ever sold. This valuation reflects not only their rarity and condition but also the cultural and emotional significance they hold for basketball fans and collectors.

The sale of Jordan’s 1998 Finals shoes underscores the booming market for sports memorabilia. Collectors and enthusiasts are willing to pay top dollar for items that carry a piece of sports history. The shoes represent a pinnacle of athletic achievement and the end of an era, making them a coveted artifact for any serious collector.

Jason Kelce may get emotional at times but the fun can never be taken out of him. The Philadelphia Eagles’ center has stated a lot of times on New Heights with Travis Kelce how he adores the Buffalo Bills fans. He particularly likes their resilience in shoveling the snow in Highmark Stadium and their amazing tailgates. Since their season is over and will support the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL playoffs, he had to make one of his desires come true.

Jason Kelce just joined a Bills Mafia tailgate and loved every second of it. The Eagles legend downed a drink in what looks like a hollowed-out bowling ball. He would then give out high-fives to the fans who were also there to watch the NFL Playoffs matchup between the Josh Allen-led team against Travis Kelce’s Chiefs via Sports Radio 94 WIP.

Howard Eskin

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Jason Kelce just likes a party . This one at tailgate with #BillsMafia.

After that, the Eagles’ big man headed into one of the boxes to watch the game. There he was spotted chatting it up with Taylor Swift who is also there to support his brother. Both of them seem to be enjoying each other’s company.

It was just last year that both of them were in the Super Bowl together. Unfortunately, the Eagles could not survive the wrath of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. Nonetheless, this does not mean that the older Kelce cannot support his younger brother as a fan. There have been rumors about both of their retirements but both have not been able to confirm nor deny them.

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Jay is a sports writer for ClutchPoints, with expertise in covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, Tennis, and Formula 1. He is a lifelong motorsports and tennis fan. Jay’s need for speed may no longer be on the grid or courts but has stayed with him through writing.

During last night’s Kansas City Chiefs victory over the Buffalo Bills, Jason Kelce helped out a young Swiftie. As he watched his brother, Travis Kelce, on the field, he helped a young fan meet Taylor Swift.

Jason Kelce helps a young fan

Jason Kelce, who was seen shirtless and donning a Chiefs beanie, climbed out of the suite to greet fans. Amongst those was a young Swiftie, who, in a viral video, was picked up by Kelce to meet Swift herself. The young fan waved at the pop star before the recently-retired center put her down.

Real time with All Pro ⁦@JasonKelce⁩ in the box with ⁦@taylorswift13⁩ right behind our seats. Unfortunate loss for our ⁦@BuffaloBills⁩ but great to have my friends see a legend. ⁦@NFL⁩ ⁦@espn⁩ ⁦@barstoolsports⁩ ⁦@stoolpresidente⁩

Fresh off of his retirement announcement, Jason Kelce seems to be enjoying life, rooting on his brother. Travis Kelce and the Chiefs beat the Bills 27-24 in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs last night.

Taylor Swift was in the house to root for her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. She is coming off a year in which she released two (Taylor’s Version) albums, Speak Now and 1989. That leaves her self-titled debut album and Reputation as the last to be re-recorded.

She also embarked on one of the biggest tours of all-time, the “Eras” tour. Swift commenced the tour on March 17, 2023, with a show in Glendale, Arizona. From there, she took the tour all across North America before concluding the first leg with six shows at SoFi Stadium. She then played a few dates in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil.

In 2024, Swift will take the “Eras” tour across Asia, Australia, Europe, and back to North America. The next leg of the tour kicks off right before the Super Bowl (where Travis Kelce could be playing) on February 7.

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Andrew Korpan is the lead entertainment editor and film critic for ClutchPoints. Residing in Philadelphia, Andrew is an award-winning journalist with previous bylines at Collider, Above the Line, and Below the Line.

Jason Kelce already proved he knows how to hype up a football crowd, and he returned for a second round as his brother, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs played the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.

Jason, 36, was in the crowd for the Sunday, January 28, game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The winning team will advance to the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 11, to compete against the victors of the NFC Championship Game (either the Detroit Lions or the San Francisco 49ers).

Jason was seen sporting a Kansas City Chiefs beanie which he coordinated with a red and gold Hawaiian print shirt over a “Big Yeti” t-shirt. He met with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who traveled to Baltimore for the game. Jason took off his hat as he chatted with the politician, and he was holding Dogfish Head beer with a Chiefs koozie that featured his brother’s photo on it.

He was later seen in the stands with parents Donna Kelce and Ed Kelce, who were sitting in a different section than Travis’ girlfriend, Taylor Swift.


While Jason is typically not in attendance at Travis’ games, as he has his own NFL schedule for the Philadelphia Eagles to contend with, he went to the Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills divisional playoff game on January 21 after the Eagles’ season ended with a loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 15. When the Chiefs took on the Bills, Jason watched from a private suite with his wife, Kylie Kelce, his parents and Travis’ girlfriend, Taylor Swift, marking the first time that Jason and Kylie, 31, met Swift, 34

Jason caused a frenzy at the time when he removed his shirt and jumped into the stands to interact with fans. Following the game, Jason shared his and Kylie’s 2-year-old daughter Elliotte’s opinion on his antics. “Ellie said, ‘Dad’s boobs are showing!’” a text from his mother-in-law, which he posted via X (formerly Twitter), read.

Days later, Jason addressed his behavior during the Wednesday, January 24, episode of his and Travis’ “New Heights” podcast.

“I don’t think [Kylie] was happy about it, to be honest with you,” Jason said, adding that he gave her “a heads-up” before the game started. “The moment we got into the suite, I said, ‘I’m taking my shirt off and I’m jumping out of the suite.’ And she said, ‘Jason, don’t you dare.’ I’m not asking for permission, I’m doing this.”

Jason confessed that Kylie told him to be on his “best behavior” around Swift. “I was like, ‘Kylie, the first day I met you I was blacked out drunk and fell asleep at a bar,’” he joked. “This is part of the Jason Kelce charm. I want to make my best first impression, this is my best chance. Set that bar nice and low.”

As for Swift’s reaction to Jason’s enthusiasm, Travis revealed: “Tay said she absolutely loved you.”Earlier this week, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes teased that Jason would be returning to see the team take on the Ravens. “Who knows what he’ll do this week,” Mahomes, 28, hinted on the Drive radio show.

While Jason’s actions at the Chiefs vs. Bills game made waves at the time, Mahomes noted that it was just “Jason being Jason” as he rooted for Travis, 34.

“That Kelce family, man, they live on high energy,” he said. “They’re a family, and they love each other, and they’re going to support each other.”

Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce have always been close. But while the brothers share a similar love for football and family, mostly everything else about them is the complete opposite — including their wardrobes.

“They’re complete, complete opposites in every facet, personality, style, clothing, physically,” a source close to the Kelce family tells PEOPLE. “They’re like the odd couple.”

“Jason’s a Birkenstock guy and Travis is a Jordans guy,” the insider adds of the Philadelphia Eagles center, who’s most often seen in comfortable flip-flops and sweats, and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, who’s known to be a bit of a hypebeast with his fashion-forward looks. “But at the core of it, they have similar values.”

The source explains that Jason, 36, who is the proud dad of three daughters — Wyatt Elizabeth, Elliotte Ray and Bennett Llewellyn — with wife Kylie, has always been a quiet leader.

“He’s a pretty intense guy but really lovable, likable and doesn’t care about appearance, doesn’t care about looks and isn’t trying to be cool or dress cool, just very salt of the earth,” the source reveals.

LISA LAKE/GETTY IMAGES

Travis, 34, who’s dating 12-time Grammy winning superstar Taylor Swift, is the “life of the party and Mr. Personality,” the insider shares.

“When he walks into a room, you know he’s there,” the source says. “He loves music and loves going out and partying, loves fashion and likes to take risks when it comes to fashion.”

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Travis Kelce attends Michael Rubin’s MLBPA x Fanatics party at City Market Social House on July 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.LEON BENNETT/GETTY

In an interview with WSJ Magazine, Travis admitted to being a style-obsessed “impulse shopper” who spends at least three hours picking out an outfit for his short commute to the locker room before each game. The Chief’s player has emerged as an unexpected trendsetter thanks to his bold game-day looks, which span everything from designer tracksuits to crushed velvet cargo pants.

“I kind of just do it off of instinct,” Travis told the outlet of assembling a look from his cavernous closet, which is actually a converted bedroom and houses a collection of more than 300 sneakers alone.

Despite his well-stocked wardrobe, and the fact that he spends much of his free time scrolling fashion sites such as Ssense and Farfetch for new finds, he said he still finds himself scrambling to get dressed on game day.

“It really just goes down to the wire,” he explained. “I kind of enjoy the creative process of the panic to just throw something together.”

TIM MOSENFELDER/GETTY; CHRIS DELMAS/AFP VIA GETTY; VIVIEN KILLILEA/GETTY

Travis acknowledged that not everyone is going to be a fan of his more offbeat looks. Indeed, the KidSuper Studio printed denim set he wore after the Chiefs’ Sept. 24 matchup with the Chicago Bears was roasted on Twitter, with some saying the paint splatter design looked like “Bounty paper towels” or a painter’s work clothes.

NFL/TWITTER

“Obviously, not every look is for everybody,” he said, referencing the criticism. “I’m not going to be offended if somebody says I look like a clown if I got a fun hat on and some wacky jeans. It is what it is, I’m gonna have fun with it.”

“For the most part, I do it to put a smile on somebody’s face,” he added.

The Kelce brothers are exactly 23 months apart: Jason was born on Nov. 5, 1987, and Travis arrived on Oct. 5, 1989. The two grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where their father Ed worked in steel and their mother Donna worked in banking, according to Sports Illustrated. Raising two boys so close in age wasn’t always easy, Donna revealed in an interview with FOX 4 Kansas City.

Travis and Jason Kelce pose with their arms around each other.TRAVIS KELCE/ INSTAGRAM

“It’s a lot of broken windows, a lot of, you know, crashes, a lot of fighting … and Travis was always the one that was the instigator because he wanted his brother’s attention,” she shared.

Jason echoed similar sentiments about what it was like growing up with his younger brother Travis.

“Two-year age difference, so growing up, in typical younger brother fashion, Travis found all the other ways to get the upper hand — and that was the most annoying thing ever,” Jason said in an interview with NFL Films in 2018.

Besides annoying each other, their close age gap also led to a natural competition developing between the two. “They were very, very competitive from a very early age,” Donna told FOX 4 Kansas City.

“There were a lot of fights,” she elaborated to Sports Illustrated in 2020. “There were a lot of punches thrown. It all just stemmed from somebody being better than the other one, and the other one not being able to deal with it.”

But the competitiveness between the brothers wasn’t all bad, according to Travis. “I think the competitiveness that we had growing up is very big on why we’re even in the NFL in the first place,” he told NFL Films.

Jason Kelce, older brother of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, joined Buffalo Bills fans at the Highmark Stadium parking lot to tailgate with a few drinks prior to the AFC Divisional Round on Sunday.

Bills Mafia was ecstatic to have the Philadelphia Eagles legend in their presence despite the fact that he is related to the opponent’s tight end. Jason then chugged a drink from a strange container that looked like a bowling ball.

Jason Kelce turns on Travis’ Chiefs and has a drink with Bills Mafia

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Buffalo fans are full of traditions such as jumping on top tables like a WWE star and most recently diving into a pit of snow at the location where they are currently building their new stadium.

One fan fell in the pit when the Bills started their winning streak against the Chiefs and they have been “sacrificing” people into it ever since.

Is Jason Kelce joining Bills Mafia bad luck?

Perhaps welcoming the brother of a Chiefs player into their environment will come back to haunt the Bills and ruin all the hard work placed into the superstition.The bad luck could also work the opposite way. Jason joining Bills fans instead of the Chiefs who traveled to Buffalo might affect Kansas City.In the end, however, the players on the field have all the power. Whoever comes out on top will visit the Baltimore Ravens for a shot at reaching the Super Bowl

Jason Kelce is ready to tackle his new role.

The former Philadelphia Eagles center has officially confirmed that he’ll be taking on a new role with ESPN as a commentator, appearing each week on Monday Night Countdown, which leads into Monday Night Football. Jason will even be a member of ESPN’s Super Bowl studio, offering yearly commentary for the big game.

The 36-year-old’s new job comes just over two months after he announced his retirement from the Eagles after 13 seasons. And as he joked, “Turns out, it was a short retirement!”

“I’m excited to join ESPN, and particularly the Monday Night Countdown team,” Jason said in a May 14 statement. “ESPN was a consistent presence in our household growing up and the network helped shape who I am and my love of all sports.”

He added, “To now appear on that same screen is a full circle moment. And, I mean it’s freaking Monday Night Football! and I’m ready for some football.”

Plus, ESPN’s parent company Disney said additional opportunities will also be explored with Jason.

In the announcement, ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus praised Jason for his “strong connection to fans” and being “highly respected” in the sport.

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

“Walking off the field and immediately to ESPN,” the exec said in a statement, “viewers will benefit from his perspective which has been shaped through his years as an established locker room leader and a future Hall of Fame center.”

Jason—who shares daughters Wyatt, 4, Elliotte, 3, and Bennett, 14 months with wife of six years Kylie Kelce—has talked before about how excited he was to finalize his job with ESPN.

“Throughout the whole process,” he said on the May 1 episode of his podcast New Heights, “and meeting and talking to everybody over at ESPN, it became apparent that it was the right fit.”

And as his brother Travis Kelce pointed out, ESPN’s show SportsCenter “fueled our love for sports,” adding, “Because we used to live and die by ESPN on that TV growing up.”

To take a deep dive into Jason’s life off the field, keep reading.

Instagram/@kykelce

2015

Jason Kelce doesn’t want you to know he met his wife Kylie Kelce on a dating app. Too bad she wasn’t afraid to reveal how their relationship began in the Prime Video Kelce documentary.

“Jason won’t let me lie about this,” Kylie shared. “We met on Tinder.”

When Kylie first encountered Jason’s profile, she didn’t recognize the Philadelphia Eagles center, explaining, “None of his pictures showed Eagles football.”

However, after she and her friends thought he looked “kind of familiar,” they did what millennial women do best: A Google image search. And when Kylie put a name to the face, she was confident she was being played.

“It can’t be him,” she remembered thinking, “it’s a catfish.”

Still, she took a chance. And in 2015, she shared the first photo of the couple on Instagram, writing, “Thank goodness you swiped right too.”

Kylie Kelce/Instagram

2015

While Jason and Kylie ultimately hit it off, their first date didn’t go according to the game plan.

“You fell asleep 45 minutes after I got there on the bar table because he was too drunk,”  Kylie revealed on Jason’s New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Travis Kelce.

Though he was admittedly “inebriated,” Jason said, “I was sober enough to know it was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life. It was love at first sight.”

Still, Kylie admitted it took her awhile to fully commit to the idea of being in a relationship with a professional athlete.

“I didn’t tell anyone who I was dating,” she explained. “The last thing I wanted was to be like, ‘I think I’m falling for this guy and then have him be like, ‘Oh, I have six other girls waiting,’ which is the stereotype of a football player.”

However, in hindsight, Kylie admitted. “It’s entertaining that there was any hesitation at all.”

“Our dynamic made it so not that I was in a relationship with a professional athlete,” she continued, “it was very much that I was in a relationship wth Jason whose profession was football.”

Instagram/Kylie Kelce

August 2017

She said yes! But only after putting up with some of Jason’s B.S.

During the Sept. 7 episode of the New Heights podcast, the couple shared their engagement story, which Jason prefaced by admitting he is not a “romantic” person.

The NFL star proposed to Kylie in his car while they were leaving her parents’ house.

“I couldn’t figure out how to inconspicuously go back into the house,” he explained, “because if I was like, ‘Hey I gotta go talk to you dad for a second,’ it would have been very odd of me to say that.”

Instead, Jason went with, um, option No. 2: “When we got in the car, I said, ‘Ky, I’m sorry but I gotta take a s–t.’”

However, Kylie immediately knew Jason was up to something when he returned minutes later. “He came back out and I said, ‘Jason, I know you didn’t just go in there and take a s—t, it usually takes you 20 minutes.’”

Jason then cut the bulls–t and got down to business.

“He said, ‘This isn’t the most romantic way to do this,’” Kylie recalled, “and I immediately started crying because I knew what was happening only because he referenced being romantic.”

Instagram/Kylie Kelce

April 2018

Two months after winning his first Super Bowl, Jason added an even more special ring to his collection when he and Kylie tied the knot in Philadelphia.

To celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary, Kylie shared some throwback pictures from their wedding day.

“One year ago today we stood in front of our closest friends and family and vowed our love and commitment to each other,” she wrote. “I am so beyond grateful that I get to share my life with this man.”

Instagram/Kylie Kelce

October 2019

The couple welcomed their first daughter, Wyatt Elizabeth Kelce, on Oct. 2. And to celebrate Wyatt’s first birthday, Kylie shared several photos from the delivery room on Instagram.

“One year ago this little bug was snuggled up on my chest for her first night out in the world. I will never get tired of your cuddles, Wy,” she wrote. “Also, swipe to see what is truly one of my favorite photos in my phone. Mid-push, veins popping out of my head, and the biggest cheesin grin on Jason’s face. Minutes later, we were parents.”

Instagram/@kykelce

March 2021

The Kelces welcomed their second child, daughter Elliotte Rya Kelce, into the world on March 4.

Kylie shared a sweet video of Elliotte to celebrate her six-month birthday, writing, “Full of smiles, laughs, and sweetness.”

And, for her first post of 2022, Kylie captioned a photo of Elliotte, “Best thing to come out of 2021.”

Instagram/@jason.kelce

February 2023

When Jason and Travis faced off against one another at the 2023 Super Bowl, Kylie had a very special guest attending the game with her.

“Kylie’s bringing her OB because she’s going to be 38 weeks pregnant at the game,” Jason said on the podcast. “That could be a super Kelce Bowl. If she has a baby in the stadium, it’s officially scripted!”

Travis joked, “We’re in The Matrix, there’s no f–king way.”

Instagram/@kykelce

February 2023

While Uncle Trav may have won the Kelce Bowl when the Chiefs defeated the Eagles, Jason received an even sweeter prize two weeks later when he and Kylie welcomed their third daughter.

“Yesterday little lady #3 joined us,” the couple shared on Instagram. “Bennett Llewellyn Kelce 8lbs. 5oz. and 21inches long.”

Their daughter was named in honor of Jason’s grandmother through Bennett’s middle name, Llewellyn.

“It’s Grandma Mary’s maiden name,” Jason shared on New Heights. “I wanted to honor Grandma Mary, who is now resting in peace. She had a good run.”

Instagram/@kykelce

August 2023

Kylie and all three daughters visited Jason at the Philadelphia Eagles training camp, with the couple sharing pics in a joint Instagram post.

“Here for the Rita’s and obstacle courses with dad after practice,” the caption read.

Jason’s dad skills were on full display in the Kelce documentary on Prime Video, in which Kylie shared her honest thoughts on Jason’s retirement.

“I always tell people that no matter what happens with football, how it ends,” she said, “I would like him to retire when he’s still able to get down on the floor and play with our kids comfortably.”