Jason Kelce quickly broke down in tears during his retirement press conference on Monday.
Kelce, 36, spent his entire 13-year career with the Eagles and was known as the emotional leader of Philadelphia’s offensive line.
“Thanks for coming, guys. Let’s see how long this lasts,” Kelce began the press conference.
At this point, Kelce held back tears for about 10 seconds before breaking down and admitting with a smile, “It wasn’t a good start.”
“I’ve been asked many times why I chose football and what attracted me to it, and I never have the right answer,” Kelce said, reading from a prepared statement.
“The best way I can explain it is what draws you to your favorite song or your favorite book. It makes you feel. Its seriousness. Its intensity. Feet on the field. Stepping into it was the most alive and freeing I’ve ever felt.
“There was a visceral feeling in soccer that was different from other sports. It made the hairs on my arms stand up. You could hit somebody or run around like a madman and then you’d think, ‘Good job. You might say, “It was.”
Kelce had to stop several times to compose himself while reading his statement, which took him nearly 45 minutes.
Kelce is a six-time All-Pro and was a member of the 2018 Super Bowl champions.
“I love football, whether it’s in the backyard with my brother, on the playground with my friends, or wearing a suit on a Friday night at Cleveland Heights High School,” Kelsey said. .
“I liked everything about it. I hadn’t met him yet, but… [Eagles offensive line coach] Jeff Stoutland also shares what his father said to him. The easy way is often the wrong way. Football is difficult. It was much harder, both physically and mentally, than any other sport I’ve ever played, but in most other sports I was bigger, faster, and stronger than everyone else. On the soccer field, those characteristics matched. ”
“I loved the challenge of football, the joy of victory, the pain of defeat, the fear of the unknown, and the camaraderie of my teammates,” Kelce said, again breaking down in tears.
