Jason Kelce Discusses Possibility of Playing His Final NFL Game During Playoffs

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 07: Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on before kickoff against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on January 7, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

For Jason Kelce, retirement may be looming on the horizon.

NBC Sports Philadelphia caught up with the center ahead of the Eagles' first playoff game on Monday, Jan. 15, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spoke on the possibility that the evening's match-up could be his last with the NFL.

While the 36-year-old has been open about his dwindling time in the league over the past season, discussing the various injuries he's suffered as a result of his career in his Amazon Prime Video documentary Kelce, noting that "it's getting harder and harder to play" as a result, he hasn't made any firm decisions thus far, suggesting to reporters this week that, while retirement is on his mind, it doesn't seem to be at the forefront.

He explained that, especially when "you're older in your career," you don't ever know when something may happen to put an end to it. "My dad's told me this from the moment I started playing football," he continued. "You step off the curb one day, and, you know, that could be the end of your career." It's a message he tries to remind his teammates of, too, and goes into "every game with that mindset." Especially "the closer and the older you get to that being a realization," which "puts it out in front maybe a little bit more."

But the most important thing is "going out there and battling with each of the guys in this locker room," he emphasized. "No matter how many more years I play, or any of us play, this team right now only has one [guaranteed] game left and that's what we're really focused on."

While retirement is definitely flitting through Jason's mind, his brother, Travis Kelce, has no plans to stop any time soon, telling reporters during a recent press conference that he has "no reason to stop playing football."

While he's grateful for his forays into acting, thanks to both hosting and making cameos on Saturday Night Live, and singing, thanks to the brothers' holiday duet, he's not ready to make a total career pivot just yet.

“The SNL stuff kind of opened up a new happiness and a new career path for me, but it’s funny for me to even say that at this point in my career because I think it’s so much further down the road than it is right now,” he said.

Next: Travis Kelce Applauded for Helping Kansas City Resident in Need