Stop Feeling Bad About Me!” Is Jason Kelce, the emotional guy, retiring…
For the first time since the Philadelphia Eagles’ season-ending playoff defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, franchise icon Jason Kelce spoke on Wednesday morning. According to sources, he told teammates after the game that he would be retiring after 13 seasons. While he acknowledged talking to teammates in the locker room after the defeat, Kelce claimed he didn’t reveal his retirement to the team on a recent episode of his “New Heights” podcast with his brother Travis. “I felt like Nick Sirianni gave me a chance to speak. Despite, I suppose, what has been leaked to the public, I didn’t intentionally announce what I was doing,” Kelce said. After a game like that, I simply don’t believe you’re in a position to truly make that choice. I just don’t. Too much emotion is there right now for me to completely understand that choice.” Kelce, however, didn’t exactly seem like someone who was thinking about coming back for another season. “I’m not attempting to drag things out in an exaggerated manner. Really, I’m not,” Kelce said. “It’s simply that I believe, when the time comes to formally announce what’s going to happen in the future, it will be done in a manner that’s decisive and honours many people and persons who have really influenced my life and helped shape my career. After a game like that, I don’t believe it would be appropriate or even respectful to be able to do that.” “But I did address the team and pretty much said the same thing that I just said to you, which is ‘I’ve got belief in every single one of you guys, cherish the moments you’ve got in this league.'” Like his longtime colleague Fletcher Cox, who is also facing an uncertain future, Kelce chose not to speak to the media after Monday night’s setback. On Wednesday, Lincoln Financial Field will have a locker room clean-out day. Members of the media are welcome to request to interact with players. Maybe Kelce will accept questions at that point. Although it’s normal for a guy who just finished his 36th season to be — probably — retiring, Kelce is still a player at the top of his game in terms of quality. In 2023, he received votes for the First Team All-Pro for the third time in a row and the sixth time in his career—a career that is sure to go down in Hall of Fame history. The Eagles would have done all in their power to create room for Kelce to return for one more season, even if there may be some disagreement about whether it makes sense to bring back defensive end Brandon Graham for an additional year. Related: Brandon Graham Wants To Play One More Season On The “Farewell Tour” Though Kelce has been considering retirement for some time, it seems like things are moving in that way even if he isn’t quite ready to announce it. Regarding the possibility of his career concluding with a 32-9 defeat and an unfortunate downturn in which the Eagles lost six of their previous seven games? The seven-time Pro Bowler is not interested in having anybody cry for him. You’ll hear directly from the guy himself when the moment is perfect. At https://t.co/lxUrkMbzk6pic.twitter.com/fdxfOPETlU, the new episode debuts NOW. — January 17, 2024, New Heights (@newheightshow) “Many guys said things like, ‘I feel bad for you if that’s your last game.'” ‘Don’t feel sorry for me,’ I say, bleeping. I’ve had a (bleeding)… [fades into attempting to contain my tears.]” SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Copyright ABG-SI LLC. Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved.
Visit NewsObserver.com/sports/nfl/article284353244.html#storylink=cpy to learn more.
Leave a Reply