Eagles teammate convinced there’s “no shot” Jason Kelce plays in 2024

The 2023 season had not gone the way the Philadelphia Eagles had expected. Instead of making a trip to the Super Bowl in back-to-back years, they stumbled into the playoffs and lost 31-9 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-9. After the game, it appeared that Eagles center Jason Kelce was stepping off the field for the final time. Shortly after the game, reports indicated that Kelce was going to formally retire. However, Kelce pushed back against that reporting, saying he hasn't made a decision just yet.

Kelce's teammate, offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, spoke with NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark and expressed his belief that the center will retire. Mailata says with the amount of fun Kelce had watching his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis, in the playoffs and "gambling in casinos" and hed's having too much fun.

"This has been the greatest six years of my life, for sure, being here in the NFL, and getting to meet people like Jason Kelce," said Mailata.

Jordan Mailata believes Jason Kelce will retire from NFL

After the Eagles' elimination from the playoffs, Kelce was a frequent attendee of the Chiefs' games heading into Super Bowl 58. Kelce celebrated shirtless in the crowd at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. in the Chiefs' Divisional Round matchup against Buffalo Bills. Then, after the Chiefs' Super Bowl 58 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Kelce was notably dancing on a stage with DJ Marshmello while wearing a luchador match. He was enjoying his time cheering on and celebrating his younger brother's playoff victories and third Super Bowl title.

Kelce recently appeared on Shaquille O'Neal's The Big Podcast with Shaq before Super Bowl 58, and said he will make a decision in the coming weeks.

“I think I’ll have an answer in the next couple weeks,” said Kelce, h/t People.

“I think if I still want to play, I’m going to play,” Kelce said. “I think right now we’re not far enough away from the last game. It’s emotional, it’s a long season, the end of the season quite frankly, awful. So I’m just going to take some time, rest, recoup and then figure it out.”

Kelce was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Eagles out of Cincinnati. Since his arrival in Philadelphia, he had been the team's immediate and consistent starting center and had been healthy for most of his career, with the only exception being the 2012 campaign, in which he was limited to just two games after tearing his ACL and MCL.

In his 13-year career, Kelce earned seven Pro Bowl nominations, six First-team All-Pro honors, and two Second-team All-Pro honors. Kelce won his first and only Super Bowl title during the 2018 season when the Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33.

While Kelce hasn't made an official announcement regarding his playing status, Mailata believes that he will ultimately retire.