Jason Kelce’s career with the Eagles, by the numbers
With Kelce having told teammates he plans to retire, let's take a look at the numbers that define his storied career with the Eagles.
The morning after the Eagles’ wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sources confirmed to The Inquirer that center Jason Kelce told his teammates following the game that he plans to retire. Over the last 13 seasons, the 36-year-old Kelce has become a fixture on the offensive line, evolving into a fan favorite for his talent on the field and his authenticity off it.
“I don’t think we’ll see another like him for a long time,” right tackle Lane Johnson said of Kelce after Monday night’s game.
Pending an official retirement announcement from the Super Bowl LII champion center himself, let’s take a look at five stats and figures that matter from his tenure as an Eagle.
156
Kelce started 156 consecutive regular-season games in his Eagles career, which is a franchise record. He surpassed Jon Runyan’s previous record of 144 straight regular-season starts (2000-08) in Week 6 this season against the New York Jets. Kelce possesses the second-longest active streak in the league behind Atlanta Falcons tackle Jake Matthews (162). It is the longest streak by a center since Casey Wiegmann’s 175 starts from 2001-11 with the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos.
In total, Kelce has played 193 regular-season games for the Eagles, which is the most by an offensive lineman in the organization’s history. Only defensive end Brandon Graham has played more games with 195. According to Stathead, Kelce’s 193 games rank 18th all-time in the NFL among centers.
6
On Friday, Kelce earned his sixth first-team Associated Press All-Pro selection. He is the first center since Pittsburgh Hall of Famer Dermontti Dawson to earn the nod six times. Dawson, Kelce, and Hall of Famer Mike Webster of the Steelers and Chiefs are the only centers since the 1970 merger to receive first-team All-Pro accolades at least five times.
Kelce is the third player in franchise history to collect six first-team All-Pro honors, joining Hall of Fame members Chuck Bednarik (1949-62) and Reggie White (1985-92). The veteran center also has seven Pro Bowl selections. He is tied with tackle Jason Peters (2009-20) for the second-highest total of Pro Bowl nods (seven) by an offensive lineman in franchise history. Only Bednarik has more with eight.
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4.14
At the 2011 Scouting Combine, Kelce ran a 4.14-second 20-yard shuttle, which is the fastest time recorded by an offensive lineman in the drill at the annual event. He also ranks No. 4 overall among offensive linemen in the three-cone drill, which he completed in 7.22 seconds. The Eagles drafted Kelce in the sixth round, No. 191 overall, out of Cincinnati.
Kelce’s speed at the combine translated to his play on the field. He took advantage of his athleticism in the running game, climbing up to the second and even third levels of the defense to carve out lanes that running backs could exploit. In Kelce’s 13 seasons, the Eagles have had running backs finish in the top 10 in the league in rushing yards on five occasions, including D’Andre Swift (1,049 in 2023), Miles Sanders (1,269 in 2022), and LeSean McCoy (1,309 in 2011; 1,607 in 2013; 1,361 in 2014).
19
On 7,944 career pass-blocking snaps, Kelce has allowed just 19 sacks (.24% sack rate), according to Pro Football Focus. This season, Kelce was credited with conceding just one sack, one hit, and 13 hurries, which ranks in the top 10 in the league in each category among centers who took at least 394 pass-blocking snaps (Kelce played 698).
In his 13 years, Kelce was attributed with not allowing a sack in three seasons, including 2012, 2018, and 2022, although he was injured with a torn ACL and a partially torn medial collateral ligament for most of 2012. Kelce earned All-Pro honors in two of those years (2018 and 2022) and a Pro Bowl nod in one of them (2022).
$81.7 million
Based on NFL contracts alone, Kelce has earned $81.7 million over the course of his career, which is the most money among centers in league history according to Spotrac. Of course, that doesn’t include Kelce’s various business and media ventures outside his football career, namely his popular New Heights podcast that he records with his brother Travis of the Kansas City Chiefs.
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For all that he has earned throughout his tenure in Philadelphia, Kelce has given back to the local community, too, in both time and resources. Last offseason, Kelce and some of his teammates including Johnson and Jordan Mailata recorded a holiday album titled “A Philly Special Christmas Special,” which raised more than $1.25 million for Philadelphia-area charities. Kelce and his wife, Kylie, are also heavily involved with the Eagles Autism Foundation. In 2021, Kelce was the Eagles’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which recognizes players for their strong performances on the field and their impact in their communities.