Cleveland Native Jason Kelce Explains Choosing Steelers Over Browns

Former NFL center Jason Kelce grew up in Cleveland, but he made the decision to support the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Browns.

Feb 1, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce (62) participates in the NFL Pro Bowl Skills Competition at the UCF NIcholson Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers comprise one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL, and Jason Kelce was caught in the middle of it while growing up.

Kelce is a Cleveland native, but as a youngster, he wanted to become a running back and loved the way Steelers legend Jerome Bettis ran the football.

So, Bettis became Kelce's favorite player, which was basically strike one.

"Jerome Bettis, he was my favorite player growing up,” Kelce said on Nevada Sports Net. "That's who I wanted to be, I wanted to be a running back and just loved watching him play."

Then, when the Browns left the city of Cleveland in 1996, Kelce no longer had a hometown team to support. Ergo, he decided to jump on the bandwagon of the Browns' AFC North rivals.

"I was born in Cleveland, and I even became a makeshift Steelers fan when the Browns left to become the Ravens," Kelce said. "It's like sacrilegious in Cleveland, everybody was like, 'How are you a Steelers fan now?' I'm like, 'We don't have a team anymore, this is my favorite player.'"

Needless to say, Kelce probably isn't making himself too many friends in Believeland.

The 36-year-old just retired from the NFL following the 2023 campaign after spending 13 years playing center for the Philadelphia Eagles.

While Kelce never developed into the running back he dreamed of becoming, he did establish himself as one of the best centers in league history, making seven trips to the Pro Bowl while also earning six First-Team All-Pro selections with the Eagles.

Most importantly, Kelce helped lead Philadelphia to its first ever Super Bowl title in February 2018.

Kelce was also one of the NFL's most durable players, playing in every game from 2015 through 2023.