Celebrating Jason Kelce

[time2rock]

Celebrating Jason Kelce

Posted: July 4th, 2023 | Author: Tommy Lawlor 

My nephew recently asked me who my favorite Eagle was. All time? Reggie White. He was perfect. Great player. Great dude. Cool name. Cool number. Played on a great defense. I loved everything about Reggie. He never won a Super Bowl as an Eagle. Heck, he only won a single playoff game. But I wouldn’t trade watching him for anything.

My newphew asked about the current Eagles. I said AJ Brown, but then changed to Jason Kelce a moment later. Offensive linemen just don’t jump to the front of your mind that often. Kelce should. He’s special.

Let’s start with Kelce the football player. He might be the most athletic center to ever play in the NFL. Kelce weighed 280 pounds at the 2011 Scouting Combine. He ran 4.89 and had a short shuttle time of 4.14. LeSean McCoy, a dynamic RB who ran for more than 11,000 yards in his career, had a SS time of 4.18 at 198 pounds. DeSean Jackson is one of the fastest players to ever play in the NFL. At his Pro Day in 2008, Jackson was 169 pounds and had a SS time of 4.19. Kelce’s mobility and agility is freakish.

 

Kelce’s athleticism might be a fun sidenote on other teams, but Jeff Stoutland and the Eagles coaches build the run game around Kelce’s ability. Since Stoutland arrived in 2013, the Eagles have been Top 10 in rushing five times and have led the league twice. He and Kelce make a formidable duo.

Kelce isn’t perfect. Big DTs will occasionally give him problems. Kelce will have an errant snap or two. But Kelce has played at a very high level for a long time. He’s been All-Pro five times and a Pro Bowler six times. He hasn’t missed a game since 2014. He’s played in all 16 or 17 games in 10 of his 12 NFL seasons. He is absolutely the guy you want in the middle of your O-line. Kelce has a legitimate chance to make the Hall of Fame. I scoffed at that notion a few years back, but his play continues to be special and the Eagles winning certainly doesn’t hurt.

He’s not just valuable on the field. Kelce is a great teammate. Check out this story from former OT Alejandro Villanueva.

https://twitter.com/newheightshow/status/1674798850157215748

That isn’t Kelce giving a key speech before a big game. That isn’t him consoling a long time teammate after a tough situation. That’s Kelce looking out for a guy he barely knew. They were teammates from May until August back in 2014. Kelce wanted to look out for Villanueva. That shows you the kind of genuine leader he is. Kelce genuinely cares about his teammates, whether stars or role players, veterans or rookies. That kind of leadership helps build a strong culture. Two Super Bowls in six years isn’t an accident.

The greatest Kelce moment of them all came off the field.

What an amazing, iconic moment.

Kelce also seems like a special person. I don’t mean that he’s perfect. None of us are. Kelce has a genuine enthusiasm for whatever he’s doing. You just can’t fake that.

His stints as a bartender are legendary.

Think about how weird some athletes are. Ja Morant has a weird obsession with guns that has gotten him in big trouble. Aaron Rodgers does and says some absolutely oddball things (to put it mildly). We see other athletes getting arrested for all sorts of issues.

Kelce just finds a way to enjoy life.

He’s comfortable as a man of the people. There’s no need for guns or darkness retreats. Just go drink a few beers and watch a ballgame.

Expectations for the upcoming season are sky high. Fans and players both have Super Bowl aspirations. There is no guarantee things will work out that way. Don’t get too down if things go sideways. Think how lucky you are to watch Jason Kelce play. Drink a couple of beers. Smile. Life is good.

http://igglesblitz.com/2023/07/celebrating-jason-kelce/

[EaglesAddict]

100% agree.  Kelce is a special player and person, perfect for Philly.  I will miss him when he retires...and that is something I don't say too often about any player.  Last player I truly felt some kinda way about when he left was Dawk.