What started with Super Bowl dreams ended in disarray for the Eagles, who went 2-6 down the stretch then were destroyed by Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32-9 in an NFC Wild Card game.
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Jason Kelce was overcome with emotion after the Philadelphia Eagles’ season abruptly endedCredit: Getty
As the final seconds ticked away on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Kelce was seen on TV crying while staring out at a field and a lost season.
The Eagles have huge questions to answer this offseason, starting with the future of Nick Sirianni as head coach, the status of quarterback Jalen Hurts, the team’s locker-room chemistry, and the diva-like personality of wide receiver A.J. Brown.
But NFL fans were also wondering if this could be the final game of Kelce’s career. “That looks like a man filled with emotion,” announcer and former NFL star Troy Aikman said.
“An outstanding player and a good human,” one fan tweeted. “If it’s over, he left a mark on the game of football. True impact.”
“Sucks to see him go out with an L but he’s got no reason to hang his head,” a second fan posted. “Dude is the GOAT of centers.”
“He’s retiring,” a third fan said.
“The end of an era,” a fourth fan wrote, as the 36-year-old shared a moment on the field with his family.
And it turned out they were right. Kelce informed his teammates after the loss that he would be walking away after 13 seasons with the Eagles.
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The center shared a moment with his family, decked in Eagles colors, as he appeared to bid farewell to the NFLCredit: Getty
A sixth-round draft selection in 2011, the seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All Pro has been at the center of a Philly squad that made the Super Bowl last season and won the big game in 2018.
“I love him. He’s one of the best to ever play the game,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson said about his teammate. “The things he can do on the football field athletically — I don’t think we’ll see another one like him for a long time.”
Travis Kelce makes brother Jason Kelce walk out of their podcast after Philadelphia Eagles joke
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Kelce shares a private moment with Tampa Bay quarterback Baker MayfieldCredit: Getty
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Kelce took it all in for what was the last time of him being on the field as a playerCredit: Getty
Kelce has been honest this season about the toll a glaring spotlight has taken on him and his family, while brother Travis, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end, still appears to have more football time left.
The Kelces have acknowledged they’ve embraced the glare — which includes Travis dating pop music superstar Taylor Swift — Jason has been especially open about the heavy public demands on the Kelces.
Kelce didn’t speak to reporters after the game and perhaps more light will be shed on his podcast, New Heights, that he hosts with his brother.
