Jason Kelce. Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Jason Kelce is having no problem balancing work and pleasure in his highly-anticipated return to Philadelphia.
Hours before Kelce, 36, hit the air on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown ahead of the Eagles primetime clash with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, September 16, the beloved former center hit up some tailgates surrounding Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
In videos shared on social media, Kelce was spotted drinking beer, eating cheesesteaks and taking pictures with fans, who were all very happy to welcome him back after the future Hall of Famer announced his retirement after 13 years with the Eagles in March.
At his final tailgate stop, Kelce acknowledged it was time for him to get ready for his on-air duties.
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“Alright, I gotta go to work!” Kelce yelled into a microphone. “Y’all keep having fun!”
Kelce recently admitted how excited he was to party before games in his post-playing career.
“I’m still learning the tailgate scene,” he told Bleacher Report in a story published Friday, September 13. “I’ve been preoccupied my whole career. But that’s something I really look forward to this year.”
Prior to Monday Night Countdown, Kelce sat down with Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts for a wide-ranging conversation about the past, present and future of Eagles football.
“First question, do you miss me?” Kelce asked his former teammate. “Just say yes.” Hurts, 26, smiled and said, “I do. I do miss you.”
The response drew an enthusiastic response from Kelce, who high-fived his former quarterback and said, “I needed that. I needed that, man.”
Jokes aside, Hurts used the opportunity to gush about the influence of Kelce and the legacy he left behind.
“I’m just going to tell you this,” Hurts said. “It’s a great feeling to be missed. That speaks to the impact, the presence, your tenure, the experiences. You had a lot of guys that fed off of that. A lot of people don’t get their flowers when they’re here. But I’ve told you how many times I’ve appreciated you and I’ll tell you again, man.”
Hurts reflected on his first season in the NFL in 2020 when “nobody expected me to go in there and play as a rookie.”
“But you knew,” Hurts told Kelce. “When you have transitions like that and you have moments like that, it’s that easier to pass the torch, if you will. Because everybody knows what it’s supposed to look like. Everybody knows.”
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Later in the interview, the former teammates shared a poignant moment when Hurts praised Kelce for his leadership qualities.
“You had a lot on your plate,” he told him. “You had a lot you were responsible for, but you always did it for the guy next to you. That’s the one thing I’ll always respect. Because that’s what it’s about. Being in that position, being the center and setting the table in different areas.
Hurts continued, “The underdog mentality, the underdog story. All of it. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Kelce said.