Tragic Details About Jason Kelce
Jason Kelce's goofy behavior at the Kansas City Chiefs 2024 Super Bowl victory party had social media users cracking up. In videos shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, Jason drunkenly hopped up on the DJ stand to vibe to the music and later stumbled into a bush as Jason trailed behind his brother, Travis Kelce, and Travis' girlfriend, Taylor Swift. However, behind all that zeal and chaotic energy is a man who isn't afraid to show emotion and be vulnerable.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jason openly described himself as an "emotional person," explaining, "I feel like I'm pretty stoic until I'm not and then it all comes out. Guys around here know I get pretty emotional talking to the team. Even just listening to a sad country song, yeah, I can get pretty emotional." Of course, Jason's high-energy public persona easily disguises his inner struggles. The Philadelphia Eagles center seems like a born natural on the field. However, his college football coach, Brian Kelly, told The Inquirer that Jason's early games didn't go well.
In fact, he divulged that Jason didn't have an easy time in training because he was somewhat of a perfectionist who felt frustrated when he failed to make the right play. But Kelly was glad that Jason stuck with it because his perseverance prepared him for the NFL. The pro-athlete's former coach was clearly right because Jason's persistence helped him to play at his best when he was compelled to walk away from it all after his Super Bowl loss, or even when Jason got severely injured, and enabled him to keep a positive attitude about his parents' divorce to boot.
His parents divorced before he headed off to college
Although Jason and Travis Kelce are undoubtedly close with their parents, their home life wasn't a total breeze. In the 2023 "Kelce" documentary, Travis admitted that he knew their parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, weren't on the best terms when he was in middle school. "I would go and have sleepovers at other houses and the other parents are staying in the same room, and my parents didn't stay in the same room," the pro football player recalled, per Marca. Even back then, Travis knew that his parents were only trying to stay together for the sake of their children.
Eventually, they couldn't hold it together anymore and split up after a nearly 25-year-long marriage. During a discussion about the divorce on the brothers' "New Heights" podcast, Jason jokingly asked his mom, "Why do you hate [Ed]?" Since Donna had a great past relationship with Ed, the question visibly caught her off-guard. She reasoned that she harbored no ill will for her ex-husband, and they got along swimmingly throughout their relationship. Donna also revealed that their marriage ended because they weren't as close as they once were, simple as that.
Splitting up allowed them to split responsibilities, consistently show up for their sons, and give Jason and Travis more freedom to pursue their athletic endeavors. Donna and Ed undoubtedly deserve credit for making the divorce easier on their kids, but it's safe to assume that the end of their longstanding marriage was hard on the NFL brothers regardless.
Jason Kelce developed increased aggression after being bullied in childhood
During a 2023 episode of the "New Heights" podcast, Jason Kelce revealed that he and his brother, Travis Kelce, were kicked out of preschool. The Eagles center recalled how he and another kid were playing with sporks when Jason lost his cool and stabbed him in the head with one, which resulted in his expulsion. According to The Athletic's profile on the NFL star, Jason's aggression only worsened with age, and as a result, he was regularly expelled from elementary schools.
Jason reasoned that his temper problems stemmed from a childhood incident when the boys' father, Ed Kelce, encouraged him to stand his ground against a neighborhood bully. Jason acknowledged subsequently speaking to mental health professionals to get his anger under control and explained the thought process behind his acts of aggression: "What I perceived at the time were these guys making fun of me. I was always kind of like the brunt of the joke. [...] Basically, every time that I have an outburst, I always have the feeling of being disrespected."
The pro athlete admitted that sometimes his thoughts led him to believe someone was being unkind to him when the reality proved different. Later, Donna Kelce, the NFL mom loved by fans, chimed in to stress that Jason wasn't the one bullying other kids but rather the one stepping in to help those who were being picked on. Ultimately, Jason found a much healthier outlet for his aggression: sports.
He continued playing despite being seriously injured
The phrase "No pain, no gain" is arguably best exemplified by NFL players who give the game everything they've got despite being injured. Jason Kelce is no stranger to this because he suffered brutal knee injuries in the form of a torn MCL and a partial ACL tear after a 2012 game against the Baltimore Ravens. In a post confirming his injuries, the NFL noted that Jason would have to take at least a month off from football to recuperate fully.
However, the pro-athlete's recovery time ended up being far longer since he opted to get surgery for his ailments, but Jason finally made his triumphant return to the field in 2013, telling The Philadelphia Inquirer that he could've better protected himself from the tears with knee braces. The NFL star didn't have the braces on already because other players didn't frequently wear them, and they don't prevent injury with 100% certainty.
However, he vowed to keep them on through the 2013 season because Jason understandably didn't want to go under the knife for his ACL ever again. Unfortunately, he suffered through another painful NFL season in 2018. According to Crossing Board, he gave the games his best shot despite having a broken foot, an MCL sprain, and an elbow injury. Fortunately, Jason's decision to push through his pain wasn't in vain since the Eagles won Super Bowl 2018. Then, in 2022, the team confirmed that their center would get elbow surgery to ease his consistent pain in the area.
Jason Kelce had to seriously consider retirement
In "Kelce," Jason Kelce confessed that he found it tough to play his beloved game because of his extensive injuries. While tearing up, the pro athlete asserted that even relatively minor wounds sustained in the course of play could cause him serious problems in the long run if he didn't eventually walk away. Jason's wife, Kylie Kelce, pointed out that the public often overlooks how Jason's injuries gravely impact their family life and prevent him from getting to play with their three daughters. Naturally, Kylie would prefer if her partner left his football career behind at a point when he wasn't severely injured so that he could spend quality time with his kids.
Fans believed that moment had arrived in 2024 as he tearfully walked off the field after the Eagles' season-ending loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Later, Jason appeared on the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast and disclosed that he was facing some natural anxiety at the prospect of a future without football. "No matter who you are or how well-prepared you are to enter the next stage, everybody goes through a level of depression," the NFL star clarified. "The end of one of the things you love most in your life is there, and you have to come to grips with that."
However, it seems like he hasn't made his mind up just yet. During a subsequent appearance on "The Big Podcast with Shaq," Jason reasoned that he wanted to take a breather before making the all-important decision.
The Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl 2023 loss was hard-hitting for Jason Kelce
Super Bowl 2023 brought Travis Kelce's Chiefs head-to-head with Jason Kelce's Eagles, and fans couldn't have been more excited to see how things would play out between them. Ahead of the big game, Donna Kelce excitedly told Today that her two boys were like typical brothers growing up because they always tried to one-up each other. And, although Donna would be overjoyed for whoever took home the trophy, she'd also be the first to comfort whoever lost, and the proud NFL mama stayed true to her word.
After the Eagles lost the game, the NFL captured a video of Donna consoling an emotional Jason with a tight hug. Speaking on the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast, the Eagles center expressed how his emotions were all over the place after the loss. Part of him was elated about his brother's win and Jason knew that Travis would celebrate him if the tables were turned. However, he was also understandably devastated by the loss especially because his team couldn't clinch the victory despite playing so well.
The NFL star also second-guessed his moves during the game and pondered all the things he could've improved on. The beloved athlete then recalled how Travis once told the crowd at an event, "Losing the Super Bowl will never make you want to go back and win one." Back then, Jason took his words lightly and only realized the truth behind them after experiencing a loss himself.