Bucs Gameday

Eagles Star Jason Kelce Praises Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield, Ryan Jensen

The outspoken All-Pro center from the Philadelphia Eagles had some strong words about two members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Collin Haalboom

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Although offensive linemen often fly under the radar, Jason Kelce is different.

Not only is Kelce considered to be one of the greatest centers in NFL history, but he also has a strong voice. Not just as a vocal leader within the Philadelphia Eagles' locker room, but throughout the league. 

The reach of Kelce's words (and engaging personality) has seen significant growth in recent years. A big reason why is the success of his 'New Heights Podcast', which he hosts alongside his brother, Travis. 

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I am offering this context simply to reinforce the notion that Jason Kelce's words carry weight. And when he offers his opinion on other players in the league, it's worth listening to what he has to say.

During the Pro-Bowl festivities held in Orlando this past weekend, BucsGameday's own Logan Robinson caught up with Jason Kelce. In doing so, Kelce had some strong takes on two Buccaneers' players in particular. 

Speaking on Buccaneers' free agent quarterback, Baker Mayfield, Kelce had a lot to say. 

"Listen, I've always had tremendous respect for Baker. He's a fighter. He's a guy that wears his heart on his sleeve. He's a guy that motivates people. You can tell that just by any team he's been on, you can tell guys rally around him and enjoy playing with him. I think he's a guy that -- we all have ups and downs in our career and are faced with adversity and it's how you handle that and how you keep pushing forward -- he's clearly a fighter and he's showing the world what he can do. Unfortunately we had to be on the tail end of it at the end of the year but I definitely loved watching Baker play this year.

Next, Robinson asked Jason Kelce to weigh in on the retirement of Ryan Jensen, which Kelce was happy to do. 

"In his tenure in the NFL, he was one of the best centers in the league. Not only was he imposing physically but he was an imposing personality. He was a very tough, physical guy. He was a guy that set the tone for whatever team it was, Baltimore and Tampa Bay. He had an incredible career." Jensen continued, "Unfortunately he had some injuries but he was one of my favorite players to watch because he was going to bring it day in, day out. Every game you loved watching Ryan Jensen play. He can look back on that with a lot of pride." 

A lot of what Kelce says during this interview is already well-known to Buccaneers' fans. But still, it's always nice to get specific analysis about your team's players, especially when it comes from one of the NFL's most successful and personable players. 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.