Inside Jason Kelce's Relationship With Kylie Kelce
Travis Kelce isn't the only Kelce brother grabbing headlines recently. Despite all the fanfare surrounding his younger brother, Jason Kelce has been shining in his own light. The Philadelphia Eagles fan-favorite has always been known for his toughness on the field. However, during the 2022 NFL season, he teamed up with Travis to launch their "New Heights" podcast and have charmed fans with their equally hilarious personalities and the brotherly Kelce bond.
In addition to the hit podcast, Jason was granted his own Amazon Prime documentary, "Kelce" which gave an intimate look at his life and the second half of his career. In the documentary, the 2018 Super Bowl champ showcased the people around him who keep him grounded, like his wife Kylie Kelce. On "Kelce," the couple showed just how normal their marriage is, whether it's arguing over what to bring to the hospital room before giving birth, or not wanting to splurge on things like a $4000 Super Bowl ticket for their toddler. Kylie's introduction into the Kelce family wasn't as high-profile as Taylor Swift's relationship with Travis, but it wasn't long before she felt part of the crew. "I was on the outside at the beginning because I married in," she told ABC News (via Entertainment Tonight). "And the most amazing part is that I was welcomed in with open arms."
Here's everything you need to know about this down-to-earth couple.
Jason and Kylie met on a dating app
Finding the love of your life on Tinder might seem like a stretch, but that's exactly how Jason and Kylie Kelce's love story began. As Kylie recounted in the "Kelce" documentary, the two connected on Tinder but she didn't recognize the athlete in his profile pictures at first. "None of his pictures showed Eagles football," she explained (via People). After doing some digging with her friends, she realized that the man she swiped right on was in fact on the Philadelphia Eagles. Of course, Kylie instantly believed she was a victim of a catfish but accepted his invitation to meet at a bar to see if her suspicions were right. As Kylie walked in wondering if her date was an imposter, the NFL star had a different thought cross his mind. "Right away when she walks in the door, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Jason recalled. He described that moment as love at first sight, but Kylie's recollection is a bit different. "Forty-five minutes later, he fell asleep at the bar, like just, out, like asleep, asleep," she said in an episode of "Kelce."
According to Kylie, Jason was too drunk and needed to be carried back home by his teammate. Even though he didn't make quite a good impression during their first date, Kylie agreed to give him another shot. Their second date went much more smoothly and thus, the Kylie and Jason love story began.
Kylie was also a star athlete
Jason Kelce may be a six-time All-Pro and named First-Team twice in his career, but he isn't the only athlete in the household. Before becoming Mrs. Kelce, Kylie had her own impressive athletic career. The born-and-raised Philly native began playing field hockey in the second grade and continued to play up until her college days. While attending Cabrini University in Pennsylvania, she joined the field hockey team and made quite a name for herself. In 2013, she won Rookie of The Year and was named to the All-CSAC First Team. She was a starter through all four seasons and ended her final season with 15 points on five goals and five assists.
Today, when Kylie isn't cheering on her famous husband, she's continuing to share her love of field hockey with the younger generation. She frequently hosts field hockey clinics to coach young kids and is even a head coach at a school outside of Philadelphia. "Sports teaches teamwork, it teaches coming together to work towards a common goal. And all of those things are transferable skills to the rest of life," Kylie said in an interview with Spectrum Sports KC. She went on to explain that since seventh grade, she hadn't experienced a single fall without playing or coaching her favorite sport. "I have no intentions of breaking that streak any time soon," she joked.
Kylie kept their relationship a secret at first
During the early stages of their relationship, Kylie Kelce admitted to not telling anyone about the famous NFL star she was dating. While most would be ecstatic about dating a professional athlete, Kylie had a few reservations about going forward with a long-term relationship with Jason. "I didn't tell anyone who I was dating," she explained in the "Kelce" documentary (via Us Weekly). "The last thing I wanted was to be like, 'I think I'm falling for this guy' and then have him be like, 'Oh, I got like, six other girls waiting,' which is like the stereotype of a football player." Despite initial reservations, Kylie admitted that she quickly learned she had nothing to worry about in her relationship with Jason. "Our dynamic made it so it was not that I was in a relationship with a professional athlete," explained Kylie. "It was very much that I was in a relationship with Jason, whose profession was football."
Dating a professional athlete can sometimes overshadow who you are as an individual. But Kylie's made it clear that she's more than a WAG. During her appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, she scoffed at the term WAG and highlighted the accomplishments of players' wives and girlfriends. "There's women associated with the Eagles who have impressive resumes ... and are really, really cool in their own right, and just because they're with an NFL player I think they probably don't get as much hype as they deserve," she said.
Jason proposed to Kylie in a non-romantic way
First comes a Tinder swipe, then comes marriage. When Jason Kelce decided to pop the question to his girlfriend Kylie, he never suspected that she would accidentally foil his plans. Even though the proposal ended in an emotional "Yes!" it didn't quite go as romantically as he hoped. The hilarious couple recounted their proposal story to Travis Kelce on the "New Heights" podcast.
Jason, the self-admitted "non-romantic" fella, attempted to ask Kylie's dad for her hand in marriage as the couple left her parents' house. Before getting in the car Jason lied to Kylie and told her that he needed to go back inside to use the restroom. "He was only in there for maybe two minutes and he came back out," Kylie explained. Due to the very short bathroom break, Kylie suspected something was up. "And I said to him, 'Jason, go back in there and go the bathroom. I know you didn't just go in there and take a s—, it usually takes you 20 minutes,'" Kylie said. "'That was not long enough and we are not turning around.'"
Instead of pretending to go to the restroom again, the NFL decided to just fess up. Kylie continued, "And then he said, 'I know this isn't the most romantic way to do this, but can you get out of the truck?" Despite it not being a storybook proposal, Kylie burst into tears and said yes.
They got married in Philadelphia
In 2018, Jason Kelce got two special rings. First, he and his fellow Philadelphia teammates secured a Super Bowl win against the formidable New England Patriots. If that championship ring wasn't enough, Jason later exchanged rings and vows with his fiancé Kylie. The couple tied the knot in April 2018 at the Logan Hotel in Philadelphia, just two months after the Super Bowl. The splashy event had a guest list of over 170 guests. One special guest on the list was their wolfhound named Winnie who helped walk the newlyweds down the aisle. Their wedding photographer Sarah Alderman didn't know much about football when she booked their event but said the couple left a huge impression on her. "I couldn't pick a better couple," Alderman told PhillyMag. "I work with couples all the time, and you can tell when people are a good match. These two are good for each other on every level."
Alderman revealed that the couple wasn't eager to take the posed photos and instead wanted only candids, but she eventually convinced them to pose for a few beautiful portraits. On their first anniversary, Kylie posted a few shots from the wedding with a loving message to her groom. "One year ago today we stood in front of our closest friends and family and vowed our love and commitment to each other. I am so beyond grateful that I get to share my life with this man. Happy one year J," she wrote on Instagram.
They welcomed their first child in 2019
In 2019, Jason and Kylie Kelce became a family of three. The couple welcomed their first daughter, Wyatt Elizabeth Kelce. The Philadelphia Eagles center announced her arrival to the world on Instagram with a photo of Kylie clutching their newborn. According to Philly Voice, the announcement came just a day after the NFL star was excused from football practice.
The name Wyatt wasn't the name the couple originally picked for their baby girl. "We were thinking Wyatt for a boy and Charlotte for a girl," Kelce told The Delaware County Daily Times. "We kind of liked the way Wyatt sounded regardless [of gender]." Becoming a father was a lifelong dream for Jason. After Wyatt's birth, he told reporters a story of being two years old and visiting his mom after she gave birth to Travis. "I was kind of in the waiting room and one of the nurses said, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'" he recalled. "I said, 'I want to be a dad.' So it's kind of come full circle. It was an incredible moment."
Today, Wyatt's a viral sensation. In October 2023, Kylie posted a video of the youngster excitedly pointing out the pink cleats of Jason's teammate, A.J. Brown. The adorable moment brought smiles to everyone's faces, including her dad. "Dude, I mean dude that's pretty cool. The moment I saw the video I was immediately smiling." Jason said on an episode of the "New Heights" podcast.
They both have discussed Jason's retirement
As Jason Kelce has gotten older, the question of his retirement has gotten louder. As an All-Pro center for the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce's strength has won the team many games, but it has put his body through a lot of trauma. He has dealt with injuries over the years and the aggressive style of play has begun to weigh on him. Kelce has hinted at retirement in the past. Before the 2022 NFL season kicked off, the star was transparent about his thoughts of retirement. "If I'm being honest my body is starting to fall apart. This is my twelfth year, I couldn't even do training camp this year. I got surgery at ... the beginning of it," he shared on the "New Heights" podcast.
Before the next NFL season kicked off, Kelce's looming retirement decision was once again a topic of discussion. In March 2023, he released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing that he was coming back for one more season. "After talking it over with my wife and many other friends and family, I have decided to return for another year," he wrote. In the "Kelce" documentary, Kylie Kelce revealed her thoughts on his retirement. "I always tell people, no matter what happens with football, how it ends, I would like him to retire when he is still able to get down on the floor and play with our kids comfortably," she said (via People).
Kylie is more comfortable out of the spotlight
Being in the Kelce family means that you're always living in the spotlight, even if you're not playing on the field. Even NFL mom Donna Kelce is adored by fans and has a few commercial guest spots under her belt. While being married to Jason hasn't given Kylie her own commercials, it has thrust her into the spotlight. The mom of three Kelce daughters has adjusted the best she can to being a household name. "It's not particularly my cup of tea to be in the spotlight or in front of a camera," she told local Kansas City outlet Spectrum Sports KC when asked about the newfound attention. "I was a communication major in college. I love to be behind it, that's my bread and butter." Despite her discomfort, Kylie has figured out a sweet spot that allows her to maintain some type of privacy while leveraging her platform for causes that are important to her.
In Kansas City, where her brother-in-law plays, Kylie hosted a field hockey clinic in which she gave local kids an opportunity to learn more about the sport. While speaking to reporters, she noted how the spotlight has allowed her to leverage her network to impact communities that are in need.
Their third child was a huge story during the Super Bowl
On football's biggest night in 2023, the Super Bowl had a new nickname — the "Kelce Bowl". That night was all about how the two brothers, Jason and Travis, were making history by facing off against one another. The lead-up to the Super Bowl was all about Travis, Jason, and even Donna Kelce, but there was one more Kelce making headlines. Kylie was 38 weeks along in her third pregnancy and as the Super Bowl approached, so did her due date. Jetting off to Arizona to cheer on her husband, Kylie brought along not one, but two OBs. "I will have two with me," she told People just days before the Super Bowl. "They're both my OBs on a regular basis, but I didn't necessarily want one to be by themselves. All hands on deck."
According to Kylie, during the NFL season as the Eagles were racking up wins, she floated the idea to her OBs to accompany her if they made the Super Bowl. "[The Eagles] were undefeated at the time, and we just had a moment of, 'Hypothetically speaking, the due date lines up very well with a Super Bowl date. If we happen to need to discuss that, would someone be open to coming with me?'" she explained. The attention around her possible Super Bowl due date even helped her snag her own sponsorship with Frida. The couple welcomed baby Bennett Llewellyn Kelce just two weeks after the big game.
They work together for a good cause
When the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Jason Kelce in 2011, he was immediately welcomed into the Philadelphia community. After his iconic Super Bowl parade speech in 2018, he became a legendary figure in the city of brotherly love. But Kelce's underdog mentality isn't the only thing that connects him to Philadelphians. It's also the charity work he and his wife Kylie have done over the years. In October 2022, the football star launched his foundation Be(Philly), which supports the city's youth with educational resources and mentorship. "Philadelphia is an incredible city, but we know it can be even better. We owe it to ourselves to give the next generation the resources and opportunities they deserve," Jason wrote on the foundation's official site.
For her part, Kylie has frequently supported the Eagles Autism Foundation and has held fundraisers for the organization in Philadelphia. In August 2022, she shared on Instagram photos from her second fundraiser and promised a third one in the future. "Thank you to everyone that came out and supported this incredible event ... $150,000 wouldn't have happened without each and every one of you," she wrote. During her appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, Kylie explained that her charity work with the Eagles Autism Foundation is special to her, and shared that her close friend growing up was autistic. After learning of the special work the foundation does in the community, she inspired the entire Kelce family to get involved in the cause.