Meet the local artist behind Jason Kelce’s potentially final pregame look
Kelce rocked a sweatshirt that featured an Eagles helmet and the grim reaper before the Birds lost to the Buccaneers Sunday. It was designed by local artist Heavy Slime.
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What did Jason Kelce wear for what is reportedly his final pregame walk as a Philadelphia Eagle? His standard fit of sweatpants, flip-flops, and a Louis Vuitton duffel, plus a crew neck sweatshirt designed by a local artist.
The sweatshirt — which has the words “Now or never we fly together” emblazoned over a cartoonish grim reaper that protects a kelly green Eagles helmet — was designed by Eric Kenney, who is best-known for churning out punk rock sports tees under the moniker Heavy Slime.
It’s part of a limited-edition collaboration with Kelce’s charity clothing line, Underdog Apparel, that became available for preorder last week. Proceeds from the $60 (and totally metal) sweatshirt go to Kelce’s (Be)Philly nonprofit that supports the work of youth tech program Coded by Kids and college and career prep program Heights Philadelphia.
After his pap walk at Raymond James Stadium, Kelce and the rest of the Eagles would get bounced out of the playoffs by Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game that bore only one touchdown for the Birds amid the Bucs’ relentless blitz package. Kelce reportedly told his teammates after the game that he was planning to retire, adding new meaning to a shirt designed to honor the resilience of fans during a tough season.
“It was awesome of [Kelce] to want to support Philadelphia artists” before his last NFL game, said Kenney, who lives in Collingswood and was unaware the six-time All-Pro center was going to wear the sweatshirt. “He’s a legend.”
Kelce, who grew up outside of Cleveland, has become a bona fide Philly booster during his 13-year career with the Eagles. During his equally profane and sentimental Super Bowl parade speech on the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps in 2018, Kelce wore an audacious green and purple suit to rep the Avalon String Band, the Mummers troupe he plays saxophone with.
» READ MORE: From playing sax to pouring shots, these are our most memorable Jason Kelce stories
Kenney said that the sweatshirt came together in less than a week after a representative from Underdog Apparel contacted him to design something that spoke to the odd mix of dread and hope Eagles fans felt heading into the playoffs. It was his first time working with the brand.
“We reached out to Eric to work on the shirt because his art is like a dark comedy. The idea to work with him on a graphic came when we saw the ‘faithful’ streaming out of the last home game of the season, when they lost to the Cardinals,” said an Underdog Apparel spokesperson. “We wanted everyone to know we still believed, but we weren’t kidding ourselves either.”
The spokesperson said Underdog Apparel sold half of the 500-print run before Kelce wore the crew neck on Monday. The remaining 250 are selling fast, and reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Louis Vuitton, Heavy Slime and flops. Love it!,” commented one Instagram user under a photo Kenney posted of Kelce in the sweatshirt. Another said she wanted to buy one even though she knows nothing about football and had never been to Philly.
Kenney said he didn’t intend for the design to evoke the sort of “last ride, do or die” retirement vibes Eagles fans felt for Kelce before the game.
“Kelce’s been talking about retirement for a few years in a row now. It never occurred to me that this could actually be his last year,” Kenney said.
Heavy Slime has no more Eagles apparel planned until the start of next football season.
“It’s on to the Sixers,” Kenney said with a dry laugh.