Who is Jason Kelce? He is a retired American football player who spent his whole 13-year NFL career as the centre of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the older brother of Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Born on November 5, 1987, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, he won the Super Bowl in 2018, became one of the best centres of his generation and is now a popular broadcaster and podcast host.
In this profile we decode who Jason Kelce is: his childhood with Travis, his surprising path from late draft pick to Eagles legend, his famous Super Bowl parade speech, his family and what he is doing in 2026.
Jason Kelce at a glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jason Daniel Kelce |
| Born | November 5, 1987, Cleveland Heights, Ohio |
| Position | Centre |
| NFL team | Philadelphia Eagles (2011 to 2023) |
| Big win | Super Bowl LII champion (February 2018) |
| Brother | Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end |
| Wife | Kylie Kelce (married 2018) |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
Growing up with Travis
Jason and Travis grew up in Cleveland Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Their father, Ed, worked in sales, and their mother, Donna, worked in banking. Jason is about two years older than Travis, and the brothers were extremely competitive, playing basketball, hockey and football against each other in the family driveway.
Their parents, especially Donna, became famous in their own right years later, when she travelled between her sons’ games and appeared on TV in a jersey that was half Eagles and half Chiefs. The family’s easy humour is a big part of why so many fans follow the brothers today.
From walk-on to NFL draft pick
Jason was not a highly recruited player. He joined the University of Cincinnati as a walk-on, which means without a scholarship, and first played on defence before moving to the offensive line. He earned a scholarship and developed into a reliable centre.
In the 2011 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles picked him in the sixth round, 191st overall. Players picked that late often do not last long in the league, but Jason won the starting job as a rookie and kept it for most of the next 13 seasons.
An Eagles legend
At around 6 feet 3 inches and 295 pounds, Jason was considered small for a centre, but he was unusually fast and smart. He was known for pulling out of position to block in open space, something few centres could do. Over his career he became one of the most respected linemen in the league.
- Six-time first-team All-Pro
- Seven-time Pro Bowl selection
- Super Bowl LII champion with the Eagles
- Played 13 seasons for one team
- Named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
What made Jason Kelce such a good centre?
The centre is the player who snaps the ball to the quarterback at the start of every play and organises the rest of the offensive line. Jason was known for reading defences quickly and calling out blocking assignments before the snap. Coaches and teammates often described him as the brains of the Eagles’ line, and younger players said they learned more from watching him than from any playbook.
The Super Bowl parade speech
In February 2018, the Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII, the first Super Bowl title in the club’s history. At the victory parade in Philadelphia, Jason took the microphone dressed in a sparkling Mummers costume, a Philadelphia New Year tradition, and gave a fiery speech defending his teammates against everyone who had doubted them.
The speech became one of the most famous moments in the city’s sporting history. Many Eagles fans still quote lines from it, and it turned Jason from a well-respected player into a true Philadelphia folk hero.
Jason Kelce’s career timeline
| Year | Milestone | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Drafted by the Eagles in the sixth round | 23 |
| 2018 | Wins Super Bowl LII and gives his famous parade speech | 30 |
| 2018 | Marries Kylie McDevitt | 30 |
| 2022 | Launches the New Heights podcast with Travis | 34 |
| 2023 | Plays against Travis in Super Bowl LVII | 35 |
| 2024 | Retires from the NFL and joins ESPN | 36 |
| 2025 | Hosts his own late-night show on ESPN | 37 |
The Kelce Bowl
In February 2023, Jason and Travis became the first brothers ever to play against each other in a Super Bowl. Travis’s Kansas City Chiefs beat Jason’s Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII. Their mother Donna attended the game, and the build-up to the match, nicknamed the Kelce Bowl, made the whole family famous far beyond American football fans.
The New Heights podcast
In 2022 the brothers launched New Heights, a weekly podcast named after the Cleveland Heights area where they grew up. It mixes football talk with jokes, family stories and celebrity guests, and it quickly became one of the most popular sports podcasts in the United States.
The podcast also became famous for its role in Travis’s love life. In 2023, Travis talked on New Heights about trying to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts. The couple started dating soon afterwards and married in 2026, making the Kelce family even more famous.
Christmas albums and a documentary
Jason has shown a surprising musical side. With Eagles teammates Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, he recorded A Philly Special Christmas in 2022, a holiday album sold to raise money for children’s charities in Philadelphia. It was so popular that the group made follow-up albums, and Travis joined in with a duet that climbed the holiday charts.
In 2023, Amazon Prime Video released Kelce, a documentary that followed Jason through what turned out to be one of his final seasons. It showed his family life, his doubts about retirement and his famously intense preparation for games. Many viewers said it gave them a new respect for how hard he worked behind the scenes.
Retirement and ESPN
Jason announced his retirement in an emotional press conference in March 2024, with his family in the room. He was 36. Shortly afterwards he joined ESPN as an analyst on Monday Night Countdown, the network’s pre-game show, and in early 2025 he launched his own late-night comedy show, They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce.
In 2026, ESPN gave him an even bigger role, bringing him into the broadcast booth to help call games. He also tried new sports for his YouTube channel, including bobsledding ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the brothers published a book together based on their podcast.
Kylie Kelce and their family
Jason is married to Kylie Kelce, formerly Kylie McDevitt, a former college field hockey player from the Philadelphia area. They met through a dating app and married in April 2018, a couple of months after the Super Bowl win. They have four daughters, whom they mostly keep out of the spotlight.
Kylie has become a public figure herself. In 2024 she launched her own podcast, Not Gonna Lie, where she talks about parenting, sport and everyday life. She is known for her direct, down-to-earth humour, and many fans say she is the funniest member of the family.
Why fans love Jason Kelce
Part of Jason’s appeal is that he seems like a regular guy who happens to be a football legend. He is famous for going shirtless in freezing weather at Buffalo Bills games, for his love of beer and for his very honest opinions. He has also supported many charities in Philadelphia, including work for underprivileged young people in the city.
Another reason is his relationship with Travis. The brothers clearly enjoy teasing each other, but they are also each other’s biggest supporters. Their bond has become one of the most-watched sibling stories in sport.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Jason Kelce?
He was born on November 5, 1987, which makes him 39 years old as of November 2026.
Is Jason Kelce older than Travis?
Yes. Jason is about two years older. Travis was born on October 5, 1989.
What team did Jason Kelce play for?
He played his whole career, from 2011 to 2023, for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Did Jason Kelce win a Super Bowl?
Yes. He won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles in February 2018.
Who is Jason Kelce married to?
He is married to Kylie Kelce. They wed in 2018 and have four daughters.
What does Jason Kelce do now?
He works for ESPN as an analyst and host and co-hosts the New Heights podcast with Travis.
What is the Kelce Bowl?
It is the nickname for Super Bowl LVII in February 2023, when Jason’s Eagles played Travis’s Chiefs.
Conclusion
Jason Kelce is the older Kelce brother: a late draft pick from Ohio who became a Super Bowl champion and one of the best centres in NFL history. With his famous parade speech, his podcast with Travis and his new career at ESPN, he has become a star well beyond the football field, and with his wife Kylie he has built one of the most loved families in American sport.
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