Shaq Gives Jason Kelce Heartfelt Advice for Retirement

Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal gave sage advice to the Philadelphia Eagles center.
Shaq Gives Jason Kelce Heartfelt Advice for Retirement
Shaq Gives Jason Kelce Heartfelt Advice for Retirement /
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Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce joined Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast with Shaq this week to discuss myriad topics, including Kelce’s potential retirement from football.

Amid the conversation, O’Neal offered Kelce heartfelt advice if the longtime Eagles center does decide to retire from professional football.

“My advice to you is if you are going to retire, accept it, [and] enjoy your family, brother,” O’Neal began, as he turned the conversation toward mistakes he made in the past. 

“I made a lot of dumb mistakes to where I lost my family, and I didn’t have anybody. That’s not the case for you. So enjoy your beautiful wife. Enjoy your beautiful kids, and never dwell on what we had. What we had is what we got. You got the ring. People know who you are. Enjoy. Because again, I was an idiot and I’ve talked about it a long time. I lost my whole family. I’m in a 100,000 square foot house by myself.”

There are times that once an athlete retires, it is hard for the individual to replace the euphoria felt in competition during a playing career. O’Neal’s advice to Kelce harkens just that.

Whatever Kelce chooses to do, one thing is clear. He will enter the Hall of Fame once he is eligible, as he will go down as one of the best centers to ever play the game.


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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.