Jason Kelce is having no downside balancing work and pleasure in his highly-anticipated return to Philadelphia.
Hours earlier than Kelce, 36, hit the air on ESPN’s Monday Night time Countdown forward of the Eagles primetime conflict with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, September 16, the beloved former heart hit up some tailgates surrounding Philadelphia’s Lincoln Monetary Area.
In movies shared on social media, Kelce was noticed consuming beer, consuming cheesesteaks and taking footage with followers, who had been all very comfortable to welcome him again after the long run Corridor of Famer introduced his retirement after 13 years with the Eagles in March.
At his ultimate tailgate cease, Kelce acknowledged it was time for him to prepare for his on-air duties.
“Alright, I gotta go to work!” Kelce yelled right into a microphone. “Y’all hold having enjoyable!”
Kelce not too long ago admitted how excited he was to occasion earlier than video games in his post-playing profession.
“I’m nonetheless studying the tailgate scene,” he instructed Bleacher Report in a narrative printed Friday, September 13. “I’ve been preoccupied my entire profession. However that’s one thing I actually stay up for this 12 months.”
Previous to Monday Night time Countdown, Kelce sat down with Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts for a wide-ranging dialog in regards to the previous, current and way forward for Eagles soccer.
“First query, do you miss me?” Kelce requested his former teammate. “Simply say sure.” Hurts, 26, smiled and mentioned, “I do. I do miss you.”
The response drew an enthusiastic response from Kelce, who high-fived his former quarterback and mentioned, “I wanted that. I wanted that, man.”
Jokes apart, Hurts used the chance to gush in regards to the affect of Kelce and the legacy he left behind.
“I’m simply going to let you know this,” Hurts mentioned. “It’s an awesome feeling to be missed. That speaks to the impression, the presence, your tenure, the experiences. You had quite a lot of guys that fed off of that. Lots of people don’t get their flowers once they’re right here. However I’ve instructed you what number of instances I’ve appreciated you and I’ll let you know once more, man.”
Hurts mirrored on his first season within the NFL in 2020 when “no one anticipated me to go in there and play as a rookie.”
“However you knew,” Hurts instructed Kelce. “When you might have transitions like that and you’ve got moments like that, it’s that simpler to move the torch, if you’ll. As a result of all people is aware of what it’s imagined to appear to be. All people is aware of.”
Later within the interview, the previous teammates shared a poignant second when Hurts praised Kelce for his management qualities.
“You had loads in your plate,” he instructed him. “You had loads you had been liable for, however you all the time did it for the man subsequent to you. That’s the one factor I’ll all the time respect. As a result of that’s what it’s about. Being in that place, being the middle and setting the desk in numerous areas.
Hurts continued, “The underdog mentality, the underdog story. All of it. I really like you.”
“I really like you, too,” Kelce mentioned.