Jason Kelce still had some tears left to shed on Tuesday night when his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers paid tribute to him with a video message during the first quarter.
“Congratulations Jason on an amazing career,” the minute-and-a-half video tribute read as the Cleveland crowd gave Jason a standing ovation. The recently retired NFL center, 36, wiped away tears as the crowd cheered, according to the Associated Press. Next to Jason, his younger brother Travis Kelce lifted up a framed Cavaliers jersey with Jason’s name and No. 62 jersey number on it.
“Get on your feet!” an emcee yelled out to the crowd, “for a seven-time Pro Bowler and from the Cleveland Heights High School, Jason Kelce!” Jason and Travis, 34, were guests of honor at the Cavaliers game Tuesday night in Cleveland, where the NFL brothers grew up and both attended Cleveland Heights High School.
Their hometown NBA team honored the brothers with the first-quarter shoutout, courtside seats next to the Cavaliers’ bench and bobbleheads depicting both of them in Cleveland Cavaliers jerseys. “We had a blast,” Jason told the AP outside the Cavaliers locker room after the game.
Jason’s appearance at the NBA game came one day after his announcement that he’d retire from the NFL following 13 seasons — all with the Philadelphia Eagles. The longtime Eagles center gave an emotional, 40-minute speech that was frequently interrupted with him breaking down in tears and encouraging himself to finish his remarks, bringing an end to his playing career. “I love football,” Jason said during his speech Monday. “Whether it was in the backyard with my brother, in the playground with my friends or suiting up Friday nights at Cleveland Heights High School. I loved everything about it.”
Jason and Travis both played football at Cleveland Heights High School before each joined the team at the University of Cincinnati. Jason played four seasons for the Bearcats in college before he was drafted by the Eagles in 2011. Led in part by Jason, the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018 and made the championship game again the next year, losing to his brother’s Kansas City Chiefs team.
Tuesday night’s video tribute showed images from throughout Jason’s career, from him playing football in the backyard with Travis when they were kids all the way to him lifting the Lombardi Trophy over his head after winning the Super Bowl. “All he knew is that he was going to work hard and give it his best,” Travis said in Tuesday’s tribute video. “And sure enough, I was sitting there taking notes watching him do it the entire time. I only played football because he was playing football.”
