Eagles Jason Kelce Remembers Watching Browns Leave Cleveland During Retirement Announcement

During his 45-minute retirement speech, Eagles center Jason Kelce made sure to shout-out where his NFL dream began, growing up in Cleveland. Kelce referenced his hometown on multiple occasions throughout the emotional announcement.

It's hardly a secret that Eagles center Jason Kelce is a Cleveland native.

That fact is what inspired the name of the the podcast Kelce hosts with his brother, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce – or perhaps better known as Taylor Swifts boyfriend – "New Heights." The title is a spin off of the high school they attended, Cleveland Heights.

Kelce has never been shy about celebrating and discuss his roots, which is why he and Travis are continually celebrated by Browns fans. On Wednesday, Jason publicly announced he was retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons in an emotional speech. Over the course of his 45-minute diatribe he made sure to include plenty of references to Cleveland, including flashing back to memories of his childhood team leaving town.

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"Growing up in Cleveland, I watched all my favorite athletes leave the city," Kelce said at one point during the speech. "Hell, a whole team left the city. It's always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city, and I couldn't have dreamt of a better one or a better fit if I tried."

Plenty of Browns fans know the pain of losing their beloved franchise when then owner Art Modell relocated the team in Baltimore in 1995 season. For Kelce, the experience of watching that unfold as a kid seems to have inspired his goal to play for one team his entire career, which he did in Philadelphia.

The Cleveland references didn't stop there though, as Kelce included his high school coaches and teachers in a long list of thank yous. 

"I'd like to thank my high school football coaches," he began, "Mike Jones. Damian Creel. Kahari Hicks. Gary Wroblewski. My hockey coaches Kurt Gunther, Steve Bogas and Eddie Babcocks. And my lacrosse coaches Felipe Quintana and and Ben Bckman. I'd also like to thank my band teacher Brett Baker. 

Jason Kelce meets with the media to discuss his future. https://t.co/x1Zb6eJWBA

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 4, 2024

"All of you taught me countless lessons and put up with a very young, rambunctious kid that was dull of immaturity, stupidity and cockiness. I would, without question not be where I am without your efforts with me and the countless other children you served and my brother and I's hometown Cleveland Heights."

The speech also featured plenty of tearjerking reflections from Jason's youth, from watching his father, Ed, work locally in the steel industry, to his mother, Donna's, constant encouragement to chase his dreams. 

One of the most emotional moments of all though came as he shared stories of himself and Travis playing out dream football scenarios on Coleridge road in Cleveland Heights.

"We did almost everything together," he said. "Competed. Fought. Laughed. Cried. And learned from each other. We invented games, imagined ourselves as star players of that time. We'd envision making the winning play day-after-day on Coleridge road. We won countless Super Bowls in our minds before ever leaving the house. 

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"And when we weren't playing we were at the other one's games. Butt seated in a lawn chair or a bench, a Capri Sun in our hand that mom had packed. Cheering during the game and waiting outside afterward to celebrate a victory together, or offer encouragement after a defeat. There's no chance I'd be here without the bond Travis and I share." 

As Kelce walks away a legendary Eagle and likely first-ballot Hall of Famer, he doesn't have to dream up Super Bowls anymore, he has one. The 36-year-old helped lead Philadelphia to its first championship in the 2017 season, taking down New England 41-33 in Super Bowl 52.

Kelce also leaves the game as a six-time All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowler. While he may have never played for the Browns, he'll step away with nothing but adoration from his hometown fans.