Jason Kelce admitted he will find it hard to retire from football after watching younger brother Travis reach yet another Super Bowl with the Chiefs.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com on the field of M&T Bank Stadium, Jason heaped praise on Travis, who made NFL history as Kansas City beat the Ravens 17-10 to reach a fourth Super Bowl in five years.
The Philadelphia Eagles center watched from the stands alongside Travis’ girlfriend Taylor Swift as the tight end made 11 receptions and scored one touchdown in a rarefied atmosphere in Baltimore.
The two brothers embraced on the field afterwards, with Jason telling Travis to ‘finish this mother***er’.
Minutes later, the 36-year-old – who has suggested he could retire after this season – told DailyMail.com: ‘Whenever you’re around this atmosphere, man, it’s really hard to not want to continue doing this.’
Jason Kelce said he will find it hard to retire after watching brother Travis reach the Super Bowl
The Kelce brothers shared an emotional embrace after the Chiefs’ victory over the Ravens
He added: ‘The game continues to be difficult to play – selfishly, physically. It’s a grueling sport and it has its problems with trying to play it the older you get… (but) it’s hard. It’s really hard. I’ll be honest with you.’
Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs faced plenty of scrutiny during an indifferent regular season, when the defending Super Bowl champions lost six games and struggled for offensive rhythm.
But Andy Reid’s side have impressed in the playoffs – against the Bills and Ravens – and Jason praised the character of his brother and Travis’ teammates in defying their doubters.
‘I think they’ve been coming on offense,’ he said. ‘Trav faced a lot of criticism, and that’s the nature of this business.
‘But I think offensively they’ve continued to get better and they’ve gotten better across the board. (Wide receiver) Rashee Rice has really come into his own. (Isiah) Pacheco continues to be involved. They’re really spreading the ball around phenomenally. And Pat Mahomes is finding ways to have success.
Taylor Swift was alongside Jason in the stands at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Sunday
The Chiefs tight end was a crucial weapon for Patrick Mahomes as Kansas City won 17-10
‘I think Trav is sharing in that success. One of the beautiful things about this sport is: no man is an island. You must draw your strength from others. It’s truly a team game. And, no matter how you good you are as an individual, teams can double you. Teams can find a way to take one person away.
‘When offenses play as a team, when they play as a unit, and they play balanced, it creates a difficulty to try and take away great players. And I think Trav has benefited from a lot of great players on that offense – as of late especially. They’re playing really, really good football.’
Kelce has tasted occasions like these during 12 years with the Eagles. He won the Super Bowl in 2017 and faced his brother in last year’s showpiece. When asked how it compared experiencing a game of this magnitude from the stands – rather than the field – he said: ‘I’ve had my share on the fields and I’ve had my share in the stands.
Jason walks off the field in Tampa Bay – potentially for the final time – after the wildcard loss
A week later, the Eagles star was in the VIP suites at Highmark Stadium ripping his shirt off
‘And whenever you’re watching playoff football, there’s something so magical about it. There’s something that’s so surreal about it. And everybody there – in the stadium and on the field – knows this is a one-and-done situation.
‘I can’t say enough unbelievable things about the Kansas City Chiefs, Pat Mahomes and this team’s resiliency to get it done in a hostile environment. This crowd was into it. This crowd was unbelievable in Baltimore. And they weathered it. They played through it. And they found a way to get it done against one of the best defenses in the NFL – and also the league’s likely MVP in Lamar Jackson.
‘It’s such a remarkable task to try and get done. But when you have guys like Andy Reid at the helm, all their coaches and their leaders up front and Pat Mahomes, it’s truly a pleasure to watch teams like that have success.’
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