Jason Kelce was set for a career in the media even before he teamed up with his brother, Travis, to co-host a popular podcast.
It became clear early on after Andy Reid picked Kelce in the sixth round of the 2011 draft that his lively personality would shine on the other side of the microphone.
Throughout his 13-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce became a favorite for reporters due to his insightful, articulate, and humorous nature.
Kelce has the talent to do well on television and adds credibility to ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” broadcast team.
As a six-time All-Pro center, he might be headed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and could become an even better analyst.
When asked about how his Eagles went from starting 10-1 last season to finishing 11-6 and losing to Tampa Bay in a wild-card game, Kelce gave a thoughtful response.
“First of all, whenever you lose that many games in a row, it’s never just one person or one area,” Kelce told The Associated Press. “It sounds pretty bad, but just like when you’re winning at a high level, when you’re losing at a high level, every area is struggling—players, coaches, talent.
I think we had a lot of talent last year, but there were pieces missing. I think the team wasn’t as cohesive as it was the year before. We also lost two coordinators, and it didn’t work out with the new ones.”
The Eagles made it to the Super Bowl after the 2022 season but lost 38-35 to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Offensive coordinator Shane Steichen left to become the head coach at Indianapolis, and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson took his place.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon moved on to coach Arizona, and Sean Desai took over. Desai didn’t last the entire season before former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia replaced him.
“I think Brian, Desai, and Matt Patricia are all great coaches, but for some reason, it didn’t quite come together,” Kelce said. “On offense, when we struggled, we tried to simplify things.
When you’re struggling, you can either go back to basics or try to outsmart your opponent. We went simpler on offense, but defensively, we went in the opposite direction with a complete overhaul of the defensive coordinator and system, which had its downsides.
“Offensively, I think we made things too simple, which made us predictable and put us in tougher situations to execute. On defense, the changes created hesitation and made it hard for players to play fast and aggressively because they were unsure.
I think the players, including myself, didn’t perform as well as we did the previous year. It’s usually a mix of factors. I feel good about where they’re at now, though.”
Kelce has been around his former teammates at the Eagles’ practice facility throughout the offseason and training camp. At 36, he was still playing at a high level when he left the game, earning his seventh Pro Bowl selection last season and being named a first-team AP All-Pro for the third year in a row.
Forget about Jason Kelce making a comeback like Brett Favre or Tom Brady. He has already dropped from his playing weight of 295 pounds to 275 and plans to get down to 260.
“They’re not going to call me to come back and play center at 260 pounds, and I’m moving on to the next thing. I’m excited to watch Cam (Jurgens),” Kelce said about his replacement. “I really think Cam is going to be great this year.
He’s going to show people how good he is. He was good for us last year at right guard, and he’s going to do well at center. For me personally, my playing days are done, and I don’t see any chance of me coming back unless medicine finds a way to cure arthritis.”
Kelce has plenty to keep him busy with his TV role, the “New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce” podcast, a wife, and three young daughters. He also makes occasional trips to see superstar Taylor Swift—Travis’ girlfriend—perform in concert, and he has various endorsement deals.
Kelce particularly enjoyed working with General Mills to create the Kelce Mix Cereal, which combines Jason and Travis’ top three favorite cereals—Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, and Reese’s Puffs—into one bowl.
“These are cereals that my brother and I grew up eating and we love them,” Kelce said. “They’re nostalgic brands and a part of our childhood. Creating the Kelce (Mix Cereal) with three of our favorites feels like everything coming full circle.
It’s a unique cereal. When we were first approached about it, I didn’t know how those three cereals would blend together, as it’s an odd mix. But honestly, it tastes really good.”
