When age catches up with you, even the greatest NFL veterans face an undeniable problem. Their body can no longer keep up with the prime athleticism that it was once used to. Age is a big factor in the NFL. Even when you talk about Aaron Rodgers playing another year as a QB, the first thing people note is he’s 40+. And they wonder how much of an impact he will really be able to make. And now, post-retirement, another NFL legend faces the woes of growing older. Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
Jason Kelce was a powerhouse in the league, and that’s a fact. He weighed a boulder-heavy 295 pounds when he was in his prime. And he carried that weight with incredible speed and prowess. This dude was so powerful that when he chest-bumped a superfan, the poor guy busted his knee trying to reel from the shock. But when the same guy talks about not being able to lift weights properly anymore, that hits a little bit closer to home than expected.
Travis and Jason Kelce talked about a lot of things in a recent episode of the New Heights Podcast. And one of the things was Jason’s health. When Travis asked him how much Jason weighs right now, he responded with “I’m about 270 right now, I think.” That’s a straight drop from his NFL 295 weight. But we know he has been trying to work on his weight for some time now. He had recently said in an interview, “I’m about 270 now, so I’ve lost 25 pounds. I don’t really want to get below 250. So, I think somewhere between 250 and 265. We’ll see where it goes.” So there might be another 5 – 15 pounds to go for Jason. But what’s more worrisome is his concerns with injuries.
When Travis Kelce suggested a new career move for Jason, saying, “You can play tight end,” Jason’s body had other plans. He admitted, “Can’t. No. My ankles and knees and back won’t let me. – it’s getting bad.” Ankles, knees, and back, the trinity of adult pains, that’s what’s bothering Jason Kelce now. He also added, “I don’t know if it’s like the moment you retire mentally your body retires too physically. Cause I am just like I’m trying to lift weights, straining muscles. My ankle, playing golf last week, is inflamed. I can’t squat now because my ankle hurts. I can’t bench because I sprained my pecs.” Ever since he retired from the NFL after the ‘23 season, it seems his body has decided to retire as well.
Coming from Jason Kelce, this is a sobering reality. This is a guy who only had two notable injuries throughout his career. One was an ACL and MCL tear back in 2012, which made him sit out the rest of the season. And the other was a sports hernia surgery that made him miss four games back in 2014. But now, it’s one thing right after the other, and we have to wonder if his age (he’s 37 now) is really catching up to him. So, he most certainly can’t play tight end like Travis suggested, but Jason Kelce’s iconic career is nowhere close to stopping.
What’s next for Jason Kelce?
Jason isn’t sitting back and enjoying retirement like most NFL veterans do. He does enjoy playing golf, but that’s not all that he’s doing. While his brother, Travis Kelce, has a show called ‘Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?’, both brothers have been making significant strides with their podcast, New Heights. Dropping fresh content every week, ranging from football breakdowns to sharing hilarious personal stories, they do it all. Clearly, Jason Kelce is nowhere near done with football, even though he can’t play anymore.
Nov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Broadcaster Jason Kelce prior to a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
And let’s not forget, just two months into his retirement, he joined ESPN, too. In 2024, Jason Kelce, with Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark, and Scott Van Pelt, co-hosted ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. He has a three-year contract with ESPN, so his broadcasting career is far from over. Back in January 2025, Jason had also launched the late-night talk show ‘They Call it Late Night with Jason Kelce.’ While we don’t really know if there will be a second season to this talk show yet, we know we will see him in Monday Night Countdown for sure.
Even with his latest injuries and health concerns, Jason Kelce continues to be an energetic and charismatic speaker. Through the podcast New Heights, we see a lighter side to both Kelce brothers. And through his takes on the MNC, Jason brings us his 13 years worth of Eagles experience to the room for us. As we look forward to his gameplay breakdowns this season as well, we hope his injuries will be a bit better by then.
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