It’s the end of an era. After 13 seasons, one hit podcast, and one viral shirtless crowd leap, Philadelphia Eagles centre Jason Kelce has announced his retirement from the NFL.
The 36-year-old broke the news in an emotional 45-minute press conference on ESPN, during which he struggled to hold back tears.
“I found it a great blessing to play in the most passionate sports town in America,” he said.
“The sense of urgency to win has pushed our organisation, fuelled it to take chances, fix problems and work tirelessly to win. At times you hate it as an athlete but when you’ve been through it enough, you learn to appreciate it.
“No one celebrates their own like the city of Philadelphia.”
Kelce began his career as a sixth-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2011, and is now regarded as one of the league’s best-ever centres.
He spent his entire career …