Jason Kelce, the brother of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis, has retired from the NFL – with the singer’s army of fans paying tribute to the Philadelphia Eagles legend
Taylor Swift's fans are feeling sad after hearing that Jason Kelce, the brother of boyfriend Travis, has retired from American football.
Jason, who was a favourite player for the Philadelphia Eagles, got emotional during a press conference where he shared his decision to stop playing. He had just finished his 13th season with the team in January when they didn't make it through the playoffs.
After losing 32-9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jason, 36, struggled to contain his emotions. This made fans think that he might not play again next season, and he even said after the game that he was thinking about what to do next.
Now, it's official that Jason is retiring. He's been a great player and many people think he's one of the best to ever play his position, centre. Swift's fans, who are known as the 'Swifties', have been showing their support for Jason on social media.
READ MORE: Jason Kelce: the hungriest of underdogs who became a Philadelphia Eagles and NFL legend
READ MORE: Travis Kelce fights back tears after Jason declares love for brother during retirement speech
One fan suggested on X that the Eagles should change the name of their stadium to honour Jason. They said: "So, When are we changing The Linc to the Jason Kelce Stadium, Eagles? I'm sure all the 92%ers agree its the best way to pay homage to such a legend."
One fan shared a touching story about Jason Kelce's retirement, saying: "My dad brought me to my first ever UC Bearcats football game when I was six years old. Little did I know that one of the offensive lineman on the field would turn out to be legendary centre, Jason Kelce. Congrats to Jason on an amazing career."
Another fan expressed her sadness over the news, admitting: "Can people please stop calling and emailing me? i'm mourning Jason Kelce's retirement," while another confessed: "Currently crying at my desk over Jason Kelce. Did I watch the press conference? No. Have I just seen a bunch of tweets about it and now I'm emotional? Yes."
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A fan also paid tribute to the Philadelphia icon for his behaviour both on and off the pitch, saying: "Great football player, even better husband and father. Congratulations on an amazing career."
The relationship between Jason's brother Travis and pop star Swift was a highlight of the 2023 NFL season, with their romance playing out in front of the cameras. Showing his support for his younger brother, the Eagles star was spotted alongside the singer in the stands as the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII.
During his retirement announcement, the Philadelphia star talked about his brother and their close bond. Jason said:"We have a small family, no cousins, one aunt, and one uncle. It was really my brother and I for our whole lives. We did almost everything together, competed, fought, laughed and cried. We learned from each other. We played games.
"We imagined ourselves as star players from that time. We'd envision making the winning plays day after day, we won countless Super Bowls in our minds before ever leaving the house.
"When we weren't playing, we were at the others ones games. Seated in a lawn chair or a bench, Capri-Sun in our hand that mom had packed. Cheering during the game, and waiting afterward to celebrate a win together, or offer encouragement after a defeat."
He added: "There is no chance I'd be here without the bond Travis and I share. It made me stronger, tougher, and smarter and taught me the values of cooperation, loyalty, patience, and understanding. It's only poetic I found my career being fulfilled, in the city of brotherly love. I knew that relationship all too well."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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