Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ Wild Card Round loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that ended their season, the rumors and even reports started flying that All-Pro center Jason Kelce was retiring.

Some reports claimed Kelce even told his teammates as much in the locker room following that final Eagles loss of the season.

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The man himself soon refuted those reports on his wildly popular New Heights With Jason & Travis Kelce show saying then that when the time comes for an announcement to be made, he’ll make it.

Well, Kelce didn’t make an announcement but did give some insight into his future to Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer recently.

“Incredibly disappointing season, especially at the end of it. And I really, really look forward to next year,” Kelce said. “I look forward to trying to prove people wrong, especially with some of the recent hires and Nick Sirianni. And there’s a lot of things up in the air for the Philadelphia Eagles. But I think that, as a player, you always look forward to go into battle with your guys.”

We could be reading too much into it, but those sound like the words of a warrior sharpening his sword for another clash against his opponent.

And it’s certainly possible that’s the case, but Kelce further stated that his role in the battle to come may not be on the field after all.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen for me. But I do know, I still want to be involved in the organization and still want to be a part of it, regardless of what the decision is,” Kelce continued. “Because I don’t want to ever feel like I’m on the outside looking in on these achievements and these accolades and these opportunities that largely represent entire cities and fan bases and organizations. It’s too good a feeling to pass up.”

There’s nothing like the NFL environment in this life. That’s not to say that it suits everyone, but for those who find comfort in the constant grind to get, be, and prove you’re better than another, it’s as addicting as it is draining. 

In almost no other profession is a 36-year-old considered over the hill. Yet, those who have been beaten and abused by the profession seek it out again, year after year.

For some, it’s the money, the lifestyle, the glory, and the fame. For Kelce, it appears to be the camaraderie, the striving to be great, and the family that can only be born in the pain, suffering, and celebration of competing at the highest level of human ability.

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Eagles fans, as frustrated as they were at how the season unfolded and ultimately ended, also poured out their sadness for what looked like an ending to Kelce’s career that nowhere near served the send-off he deserved.

But from the sounds of it, pads or no pads, Philadelphia may not have witnessed the ending of Kelce’s football life, but the beginning of a new chapter in it.