The Eagles will host the Rams at Lincoln Financial Field in the NFC Divisional Round matchup presented by ACME this Sunday, January 19, at 3 PM. The Eagles and the Rams are no strangers to one another, having battled each other in Week 12 of this season, a game won by the Eagles 37-20. But now it’s playoff time. And former Eagles star Jason Kelce could not resist but getting emotional seeing his team at this stage after his retirement.
Jason Kelce Gets Emotional Ahead of Eagles’ Playoff Match
It is indeed an emotional moment for Jason Kelce to see his former team reaching playoff in the very next season of his retirement. Kelce who played 13 seasons or Eagles and retired in March, 2024 feels that it is a very proud moment for him to see this success without him and he wish to be here with the team.
“I’m very much happy for all of the guys there, all of the coaches, all of the players,” Kelce said this week on Sports Radio 94WIP. “Of course, I’m one season out of it so I do have some part of me that wishes I could be there, be a part of something like this. It was my time, I still feel like I made the right decision. This is the way it goes. It’s been fortunate that it’s happened this quickly for the Eagles.”
“I know I’m not out there playing the game. To a certain extent I think that I still have had an impact on Stout [Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] in his career and some of these guys in their career. Cam Jurgens and Jalen Hurts … I was a part of them learning and adjusting and welcoming them to the league … In some ways I still feel I’m a part of the team if I’m being quite frank even though my impact is far, far, far less.”
“Would love to be out there with those guys going to battle. It’s more just immense pride that they’re getting it done.”
The 36-year-old spent his entire career with Philadelphia, helping them win their first Super Bowl in 2018 and reach the NFL showpiece again in 2023. Kelce was a sixth-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2011 but is now regarded as one of the NFL’s best-ever centres. He played 205 games and holds the franchise record for consecutive starts.
He has been selected as a Pro Bowl player seven times. Kelce started 156 consecutive regular-season games, dating back to the 2014 season, played in 193 career regular-season games, and started each and every one of the team’s 12 postseason games.
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The Los Angeles Rams are riding high after securing six wins in their last seven outings, including a playoff victory against Minnesota. This momentum has propelled them to their first Divisional Round appearance since 2021, when Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford led the team to Super Bowl glory. Meanwhile, the Eagles, who have dominated the Rams in eight of their last nine matchups, aim to defend their home turf Sunday for an NFC Championship berth.