Jason Kelce retires an icon in one of sports’ toughest cities

Jason Kelce was an afterthought when he arrived in Philadelphia in 2011 as an undersized offensive lineman who had walked on to his college team as a running back.

He was a kid from Cleveland with a reputation for having a bad temper, which was part of why he slipped into the sixth round of the NFL Draft. He had no idea at the time if he’d be able to build a career with the Eagles. But then he got a call from his agent, Jason Bernstein who told him “You have no idea how perfect this is.” “You are going to fit in great in Philadelphia,” he said, as Kelce recalled on Monday. “This is your kind of town.”

That feeling turned out to be mutual. Kelce was Philadelphia’s kind of player, too. After 13 remarkable seasons and the only Super Bowl championship in Philly history, the 36-year-old Kelce officially retired on Monday as one of the city’s all-time favorite adopted sons. He had an iconic run in one of America’s toughest sports towns — impressive considering that when Kelce first showed up for his first Eagles training camp, even he questioned whether he belonged.

But he won the Eagles’ starting center job that summer, and never once looked back. He played in 193 games and started every one of them. He started the last 156 consecutive games of his career — a new franchise record. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a six-time first-team All-Pro — an honor he earned in each of the last three years. That is why he will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But it took more than that to make him the Philadelphia legend that he has undoubtedly become.

Kelce earned that because deep down he knew what so many athletes never learn — that the most beloved players aren’t always the biggest stars. Fans tend to fall in love with the players who bring toughness, attitude and work ethic. They embrace the players who embody their city, and what they believe is the spirit of their town. They want someone who wants to be one of them, and that they’re proud to adopt as their own.

It didn’t take Kelce very long to figure all that out. “Some people struggle to play in this city,” he said. “They can’t handle the boos, the media, or our fans. Consider it a blessing to play in the most passionate sports town in America. No one celebrates their own like the city of Philadelphia. Athletes become demigods in this city.

“Yes, they will let you know when you’re not performing well. Every time. But they will also love you if you show effort, aggression, desire, the will to fight. They will love you in this city if you love it, the way you love your brother. You will be loved by going above and beyond to show that you care.