Hi Neighbor!
I have a new obsession. Jason Kelce, the Philadelphia Eagles center. Our hometown hero for twelve straight seasons, having started 149 consecutive games as of last year’s Super Bowl. You might ask, why now? He has been a staple in the Eagles’ organization for over a decade, so why the hype now?
I say, why the heck not? The man – and his very cool wife – are everywhere!
My obsession started as a sixth-round draft pick in 2011 selected by Andy Reid. That’s low totem pole kind of legend selected 191st overall, but still, he was drafted. (Ironic side note: Andy Reid also drafted Travis Kelce, Jason’s brother, in the 2013 draft for the Kansas City Chiefs, but this article is about OUR Kelce brother.)
No one in the City of Brotherly Love noticed or cared. Until they did.
Kelce quickly turned into a workhorse for our beloved Birds, and in a very short span of time, he also became a Super Bowl Champ, a Mummer wannabe, a husband, a dad, Fat Batman, a crooner of Christmas songs, a podcast phenom, a champion of great causes (Be Philly), a Saturday Night Live performer, a five-time All-Pro, and a documentary star in his own story simply called Kelce.
Additionally, he makes cool appearances “down the shore” in the off season, and as of last week is now a star in a Chunky Soup commercial with his brother and mom.
Jason Kelce has an infectious personality, beloved by the city of hard knocks and hard fans. Without giving too much away from the documentary, he is smitten with Philadelphia and its fan base as well. He has even made his home among us in the ‘burbs.
I firmly believe there is nothing this man cannot do. Kelce won us over easily, and then he went ahead and married a hometown girl to seal the deal! Kylie McDevitt Kelce is a rock star in her own right. A Cabrini standout field hockey player who met Kelce on Tinder, Kylie works tirelessly for the Eagles Autism Foundation and recently made her debut on season two of New Heights, the Kelce brothers podcast. Basically, she stole the show and made us fall in love with her too!
If you are paying attention, neighbors, they are the “It” couple of the season, and I for one am so proud they are part of our team, our community, our Eagles Nation. Kelce is humble and thoughtful and present in all he does, not taking any of this ride for granted. In a world full of selfish athletes, he demonstrates through his actions how we wish all professional athletes would conduct themselves.
Family man, strong leader, kind human being.
Can we clone Jason Kelce and keep him as our forever center in spite of the many breaks and fractures to his beat-up body?
This is a feel-good story when we need it the most. The timing is right as the Eagles 2023 season is just underway, and Kelce is giving it another season, at least, before contemplating retirement again. Since the Kelce family appears to have planted roots in the Philadelphia area, I can stay obsessed with them for the foreseeable future. Jason and Kylie do not appear to be going anywhere any time soon. Lucky us.
Completely obsessed,
Jackie