After hanging up his cleats following 13 glittering years in the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles icon Jason Kelce has opened up on the changes to his body and lifestyle in his retirement
Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce opened up on how his body has transformed in the months following his retirement from football after 13 years in the NFL.
The 36-year-old established his reputation as one of the greatest centers in the league’s history during his storied run at Lincoln Financial Field. Hanging up his cleats having won the Super Bowl once and as a six-time First-team All-Pro, he has since announced that he will be embarking on a career in broadcasting.
The popular star has penned a multi-year agreement with ESPN to form part of their “Monday Night Football” coverage from next season as an analyst. He will specifically take on duties on the “Monday Night Countdown show”, while also appearing alongside Scott Van Pelt and Ryan Clark during Monday night and playoff clashes at halftime.
Having last appeared in a playing capacity after the Eagles’ wild-card playoff defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January, the elder Kelce brother decided to call time on his career. Now, he has reflected the impact his time in the sport has had on his body, as he told GQ: “Everybody exits the league with some type of impediment. I’ve had a twice-reconstructed right knee, a surgery on my hand, my groin. I’ve broken toes.
“I’ve had my share of things that have gone wrong, not to mention just the wear and tear of playing 13 years in the NFL. So I’m leaving the game with those scars, but for all intents and purposes, I can play with my kids,” he continued. “I am still able to fully enjoy life, which I consider a blessing whether you played in the NFL or not.”
“As far as the weight is concerned, I weighed 295 for the majority of my NFL career, and I look forward to losing some of those pounds. I don’t want to get too small. I think a lot of guys, especially offensive linemen, they lose too much weight, and then they look like bobbleheads because their neck gets so small, but their head stays the same size.”
Jason Kelce looked noticeably slimmer over the summer having retired from the NFL
The former NFL center also explained how his body has transformed in the time since he last played. He said: “So for me, I feel like for some reason, 250 to 260 feels like I’ll be still big and be happy with the way I look without having a six-pack. But I’ll still be able to have that stature a little bit.
“Right now, I’m about 277. I’m almost 20 pounds down right now. It’s hard to imagine another nearly 20 pounds coming off, being honest with you. But my back already feels better. My knees already feel better. So another 20 pounds hopefully will make that much more adept at playing with my 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren.”
As for his upcoming foray into the world of TV, Kelce said on his “New Heights Podcast”: “It’s crazy, especially when we were growing up, this was the night that everyone thought of with football. Monday Night Football and now I’m going to be on there with some incredibly talented people – Scott Van Pelt, Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark.”
