While the jury’s still out on whether or not they’re stepping away from the football field for good, Donna Kelce’s response to Travis and Jason Kelce’s retirement rumors is giving us a better idea of their plans post-NFL glory.
Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jason Kelce, a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, have both sparked headlines in recent weeks regarding their futures in the NFL. Their mom, Donna, seemingly addressed the reports in a new interview with People, telling the outlet that she’s confident her sons will continue to be involved with the NFL in some capacity even if they do choose to retire in the near future.
The mother of two explained that she “can’t believe that they wouldn’t be in the future involved with football in some capacity because they love it so much.” She continued, “They love the people and they love the coaches. They just love the whole aspect about it,” highlighting the “very small community” they share in football.
Mama Kelce went on to emphasize her confidence in her sons, noting that they can do anything they set their minds to. “Anything they want to do, I truly believe they could do. I’ve seen it over and over again,” she shared. “They are just very tenacious, very much, ‘I’m going to see this through.’ They just never give up. They just keep moving on.”
Donna’s thoughts come just weeks after her son Jason Kelce’s loss with the Eagles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL’s Wild Card weekend. The loss marked the end of the Eagles postseason journey, knocking the Philadelphia team out of the playoffs. Following the loss, many began to wonder if it was the last time they would be seeing Jason Kelce wearing the number 62. But according to the 36-year-old, the decision to retire hasn’t been made just yet.
“I just don’t think you’re in a position after a game like that to really, you know, make that decision. I just don’t,” Jason said during an episode of his “New Heights” podcast on January 17, 2024. “There’s too much emotion in the moment. There’s too much going down in the moment to really fully grasp that decision.” He went on to add, “I’m not trying to be dramatic to continue to draw this thing out. I’m really not.”
His younger brother Travis also responded to the rumors that Jason might retire, noting during a press conference on January 19, 2024, “It came out that he retired, and he really didn’t say any of that.”
“The end of that game, I think everybody kind of felt for him, knowing that he has been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of years. The documentary shows that. You don’t need to go around and ask anybody,” Travis told reporters, adding, “It’s been cool to see everybody appreciate who he’s been over the years this past week, but I think the big guy still got some football left if he wants it.
Meanwhile, Travis appeared to shut down his own retirement rumors during a recent bonus video for his “New Heights” podcast. “I haven’t found something outside of football that’s going to challenge me like playoff football,” he said. “And I don’t know if I’ll ever find that. And that’s one of the things that’ll make me play this game until the wheels fall off.”
He continued, “I know that I get to accept these challenges and these difficult games, these difficult matchups, the question of whether or not we’ll prevail — and coming up big for the guys next to me. It’s an energy and an excitement that I haven’t found anywhere else in the world, and it’s something that I definitely cherish.”
As the Kelce brothers navigate their potential post-NFL paths, one thing is clear—their love for football is likely to endure, regardless of whether they’re playing in the league or participating in it from the sidelines.
