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PST SPECIAL: Jason Kelce Is Philadelphia · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

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Hey there, everybody, It's Jeff. It is Monday, March fourth,
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twenty twenty four. Yes, I sound a little bit different as I am
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doing the date stamp that I've been doing on this podcast now for several several
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months. And there's no intro music this week because this PST special is dedicated
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to one Jason Kelsey, who announced his retirement today as a member of the
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Philadelphia Eagles. He was a sixth round draft pick in twenty eleven who not
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only defied the odds but actually just completely killed those odds and put together a
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Pro Football Hall of Fame career that was quite exceptional. Jason Kelce he really
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created, I think a legacy for the Eagles organization, for the Eagles fans
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around the world with what he did on and off the field. I think
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we know a lot of these stories. He also really combined that athleticism that
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he had, the intelligence, the toughness, the coach ability, as Jeff
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Staltlin has mentioned, the leadership, just every intangible that you can think of.
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I'm not thinking of all of them right now as I'm speaking into this
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microphone, but he left an incredible mark on the game of football, and
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as I mentioned he really did put together a Pro Football Hall of Fame career,
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and he will get there. Someday. He will get to Canton,
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for sure. He announced his retirement here, ending a chapter of Eagles history
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that we, quite frankly all hoped would never end. I wish that Jason
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Kelcey could have been here another thirteen years, but it's time to move on.
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It is a sad day in some ways, but also a day for
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us to reflect, reflect on his career and again what he has meant to
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this Eagles organization. So we're gonna play two speeches, the first one being
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that Super Bowl speech. The Super Bowl speech when he was dressed up as
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a mummer, did some incredible, incredible things from that podium right in front
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of the Art Museum, and we want to play that for you right now
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as we commemorate, recognize, and celebrate Jason Kelsey's career here in the Philadelphia
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Sports Table podcast. Let's get to that right now, Philadelphia. Let me
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get hell, yam, you don't love the Philadelpi Eagle. Let me tell
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the hell damn. I'm gonna take a second to talk to you about underdogs.
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I know Lane Chris just talked about this, but I don't think that
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it's been beat home enough. Howie Roseman a few years ago was relinquished all
3:00
control pretty much in this organization. He was putting in the side. Hey,
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Hey, he was put in the side of the building where I didn't
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see him for over a year. Two years ago. When they made a
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decision, he came out of there a different man. He came out of
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there with the purpose and the drive to make this possible. And I saw
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a different Howie Roseman, an under dog Doug Peterson. When Doug Peterson was
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hired, he was rated as the worst coaching hire by a lot of freaking
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analysts out there in the medium. This passed offseason, some clown named Mike
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Lombardy told him that he was the least qualified head coach in the NFL.
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The th a griffin. Doug Peterson, a man who went for it up
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forth the down, went for it up fort the down, and the suit
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football with the trick playing. They want to play it just to go me
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the unker. They play across Soper ball and that don't stop with him,
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That does not stop with him. Jason Peter the Stone, he was too
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old, didn't have it anymore before he got hurt. He's the best freaking
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tackle in the NFL. Mac May was told he didn't have him. Stephan
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was Noosey ain't good enough, Jason Kelsey is too small. Lake Johnson can't
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lay off the jew d of Brooks. Had they died? I said quins
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did it go to an divisual wood school that Fallstuf got it. Marcel Man's
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too slow. The cat play that got it anymore. Jock can't stay help
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me, Dory Smith get jets, not to Daglock, get jets. Zach
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Guards can't block. Brat Zelick's too old. Graham was drafted too high.
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Betty Curry ain't got him. Oh hell, I can't fit the scheme like
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the tats can't fit the scheme. Doctor Brawder can't catch Jaylor Bills can't cover.
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Patrick Robinson can't cover. It's the tail that's a hard tail. There's
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the tie organizations with a bunch of driven men for a godless something. You're
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a bunch of underdogs. And you know what underdogs is. It's a hungry
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dome. And Jeff Stylin has had this in our building for five years.
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It's a quote in the old line room that has stood on the wall for
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the last five years. Hungry dogs run past you. And that's this tale
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pot of line is. We wanted him more, all the players, all
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the coaches, the front office, Jeffrey Laurie, everybody wanted him lord.
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And that's why we're up here today. And that's why we're the first team
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in Eagles history to hold that freaking trouble. You know who the biggest thunderd
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dog is. It's y'all Philadelphia. For fifty two years, y'all have been
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waiting for this. You want to talk about underdog. You want to talk
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about a hungry dog. For fifty two years, you've been started in this
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championship. You know, my son, You know, everybody wonders why we're
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so mean. Everybody wonder us why the Philadelphia Eagles aren't the nicest fearens if
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I don't even breakfast up first doll. No one wanted us. No one
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like this team, No analysts like this team to win the Super Bowl,
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and nobody likes our fans. And you know what, I just heard one
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of the best says this past day, and it's one of my favorite and
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it's new and I hope you all learn it, because I'm about to drop
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it right now. You know what I gotta say to all those people that
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doubted us, to all those people that got us out, and everybody who
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can said that we could get it done. What my man, Jay and
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John just said, fuck you hold it on your good No okay, no
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we okay, we are back here. And boy, I'll tell you that
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that speech. Man, listening to it again, it still brings back those
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chills, those chills when the hairs stood up on the back of my neck
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and on my arms. The speech was amazing. He not only made that
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march toward the Arts Museum that day, you know, and went up those
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steps next to the bus, bicycling around singing with the fans, just absolutely
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killing it with that speech. That speech was so fired up, and inevitably
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that speech was incredibly Philadelphia. People were calling him being the next mayor even
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the president of the United States. But that speech, that Super Bowl speech
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was so Philly and it was something that we need to hold close to us
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as Eagles fans, as Philly sports fans, for the rest of our lives.
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Quite frankly, so we are gonna listen to his retirement speech. Boy,
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that was really tough today listening to that. But seriously, it was
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gut wrenching in a lot of different ways. But I think it's important for
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us. It's important for us here at PSD podcast show to have this speech
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in our feed and to really commemorate again his career. He talked about being
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drafted, he talked about his brother, he talked about his family, family
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values, talked about the Eagles organization, and he talked about US fans.
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And we're certainly going to talk more about the fans aspect of this speech more
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on this coming show. This week's show, for sure, we're gonna be
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talking about that. But we're going to take a quick break, and when
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we come back here, we are going to play Jason Kelsey's retirement speech for
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you in case you had not heard it, And again we want to have
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this in our feed as well for folks. We're gonna take that quick break.
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We'll be right back, all right, We are back here and Jason
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Kelsey here on March fourth, twenty twenty four, announcing his retirement. I
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was doing some work here from home and had the speech on in the background,
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and just in the opening moments of it, I said you know what,
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I need to take a little bit of break for my work. Need
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to take that break and let sit here listen to the speech. Didn't realize
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it was going to be as long as it was, but I am glad
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that I was able to sit through that with a majority of Eagles Nation who
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were able to watch, listen and hear the words coming out of his mouth,
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the sheer emotion coming from this man's heart. And we want to play
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it here for you now. If you get some tissues, folks, if
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you haven't heard this yet, if you have heard it may bring you to
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tears again, get some tissues. Here's Jason Kelsey's retirement speech. Oh thanks
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for coming, guys. See how long this lasts. There, I lay
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face up in the cool morning's dew covered grass, waiting for a whistle I
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knew would come at any second, knowing full well Anthony Herrel was a couple
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of yards away on the ground waiting for the same. The feign objects that
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rest upon my shoulders and head weighed me down and unbalanced my waiting body.
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M hm hm hm hm. As a whistle, blue eye arose, turned
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all in one motion and ran on my teammate. It isn't even the collision
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I remember most, but the feeling before of what in the fuck is about
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to happen? H H, how is it going to feel? Will I
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win? Whenever I smell the clippings of a freshly mode grass, I am
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brought back to this day. I am brought back to this day. Twelve
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years old, Roxboro Middle School, first day in pads. I've been asked
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many times why did I choose football? What drew me to the game?
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And I never have an answer that gets it right. The best way I
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can explain it is what draws you to your favorite song, your favorite book.
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It's what it makes you feel. The seriousness of it, the intensity
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of it. Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had
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ever felt. There was a visceral feeling with football, and like any other
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sport, the hairs would on my arms would stand up, The hairs on
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my arms would stand up. I get hit somebody, run around like a
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crazy lunatic, and then get told good job. I loved football, whether
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it was in my backyard with my brother, on the playground with my friends,
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or shooting up on Friday nights at Cleveland Heights High School. I loved
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everything about it. Although I hadn't met him yet, often shares a quote
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his father would tell him more often than not, the easy way is the
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wrong way. Football was hard, much harder than any sport I had ever
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played, physically and mentally and most other sports. I was bigger, faster,
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stronger than everyone else on the football field, those trades were matched.
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On the lacrosse field. I felt like Lebron James. On the football field,
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I was Billy Hoyle. I loved the challenge. The football was the
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joy of winning, the agony of defeat, the anxiety of the unknown,
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and the camaraderie of my teammates. I'd like to think my high school football
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coaches Mike Jones, Damian Creole, Harry Hicks, and Gary Robuluski. I
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don't coach Robo, you know who you are. Uh. My hockey coaches
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Kirk Gunther, Steve Bogus and Eddie Babcox, and my lacrosse coaches Felipe Kntana
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and Ben Beckman. I'd also like to thank my band teacher Brett Baker.
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All of you taught me, taught me countless lessons and put up with a
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very young rambunctious kid that was full of immaturity, stupidity, and cockiness.
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I would, without would, without question, not be where I am today
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without your efforts with me and the countless other children you served and my brother
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and I's hometown, Cleveland Heights. From Cleveland Heights, I entered the University
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of Cincinnati as a walk on as a linebacker. I had no idea what
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to expect, but scenes from Rudy would often race in my mind. I
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became a parent immediately that walk ons would have to fight harder for their opportunities
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than the rest of the team. I had no stars, no investment the
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team or the coaches. I'd have to earn everything. And that's good because
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I had no clue what hard work was. Yet knowing that I had to
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earn my respect every day made me committed like never before. In my first
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college weightlifting session, graduate assistant Jordan Roff put me through the hardest weightlifting session
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I had ever been through. At the end of it, he said,
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if I could walk around the perimeter of the weight room holding my hands above
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my head, I could leave. And if I couldn't hold my hands above
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my head, I'd have to stay and clean the whole weightroom that entire year.
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I found out later that cleaning the weight room was something I would get
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used to that entire year. I consider a blessing. D Antonio ran a
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tough program, the weight room was even tougher, and I redefined in my
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mind what working hard actually was. They pushed me into areas of fatigue I
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didn't know I had, and for that experience, I am forever grateful to
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all of them. After red shirting my first year, Mark Dantonio left Cincinnati
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for Michigan State and we hired up and coming head coach from Central Michigan,
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Brian Kelly. This turned out to be the biggest turning point in my career.
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Not because of Brian, he was great and we enjoyed tremendous success together,
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but because he brought with him strength coach Paul Longo. Two weeks in
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the winter workouts, Paul whispered to me in the middle of warm ups,
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you'd make a great center. I shrugged it off offensive line. Never in
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a million years did I think I'd played that position. Paul was different as
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opposed to working guys into the ground. His motto was worked smarter, not
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harder. His main goal was to improve us as athletes and make us stronger,
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faster, more explosive. He didn't care about anything else. Once during
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a conditioning drill, I saw a teammate struggling to keep up during a run,
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so I slowed down to encourage him, and he yelled at me.
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He said, you run this exercise the best. You can lead from the
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front. It's my job to take care of the back. Paul moved me
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to offensive line that spring, and it ended up being the single greatest move
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that ever happened to me as a football player. There are too many people
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to thank for my times to Cincinnati, so I'd like to limit it to
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coaches Paul Longo, Jeff Quinn, Brian Kelly, Mark Dantonio, strength coaches
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Tim Swanger, Dave Andrews, coach Carrie Combs, coach Butch Jones, as
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well as athletic trainer Bob Mangean and orthopedic doctor Angelo Colissimo. Of course,
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all of my teammates and friends. University supports that all of you made my
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time there something I wouldn't trade for the world, some of the most enjoyable
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years of my life. After my senior year ended, it became apparent the
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NFL would be an opportunity, although a few teams had interest in alignment that
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weighed two hundred and eighty and eighty pounds. Lucky for me, the Eagles
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had just hired Howard Mudd, a legendary coach who valued offensive linemen for their
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athleticism more than their size. Having watched and emulated Jeff Saturday in my own
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game, it all felt too perfect when the Eagles selected me in the sixth
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round. Immediately after being drafted, my agent, Jason Bernstein said, you
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have no idea how perfect this is. You are going to fit in great.
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You're going to fit in great in Philadelphia, this is your town.
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Thirteen seasons in Philadelphia, and I look back on a career filled with ups
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and downs. I'd like to thank the four head coaches I played for,
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Andy Reid, Chip Kelly, Doug Peterson, and Nick Sirianni. Consider myself
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lucky to have played for each of you. I'd like to thank Jeffrey Lurie
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for his dedication to building an organization that values its employees as people and gives
21:36
them the resources necessary to thrive. I've only had one boss, so I
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don't know much to compare to, but Jeffrey always made it a point to
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show his appreciation and love for his players on and more importantly, off the
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field. I'd like to thank Howie Rose for drafting me and for always working
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hard to improve our team, even from the other side of the building that
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one year. Whether it be coaches, players, salary, cap or the
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numerous other things you control, you work tirelessly and calculatedly to improve this organization.
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I'd like to thank Big Dom Desandro, truly the life force of this
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organization. No one gives more time and energy to this team. At the
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drop of a hat, Dom is by your side. My family and I
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give our sincerest thank yous for always treating us with dignity and assistance. There
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are so many teammates, coaches, support staff, trainers, equipment, cafeteria
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workers. You guys have no idea the amount of people in this building it
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takes to assist our players and me. I would like to thank you all
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by name, but we'd be here far too long for anyone to continue listening,
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So instead I will share memories, if that's all right with you all.
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When I look back down the road, I'm sure there are things I
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will forget, but these are some of the things I'm sure I won't.
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I won't forget the call I got from Andy Reid on draft Day and my
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father rushing into the room with tears streaming down his face as his son's dreams
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had just been realized. It had just been announced on TV I had been
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drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, and I won't forget two years later that same
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man, and my brother receiving a call and him being drafted by the Kansas
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City Chiefs, this time the tears streaming down both my father and I face
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as my brother had just realized his own I won't forget the first time I
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saw Jason Peters do a one on one pass set with Trent Cole and being
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amazed at the speed, balance, and power I had just witnessed. It
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reminded me or looked like a grizzly bear wrestling a panther. It was so
24:26
impressive it made me question if I was good enough to play it in this
24:29
league. I watched the next couple guys go and thought, Okay, I
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can do this. I won't forget. Thirsty Thursdays at eight seventy nine,
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a bar owned by Brent Sellick and Todd Harriman's that stayed open a whole six
24:44
months because nobody paid for a drink. Poor business practices. Indeed, that
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bar may have closed quickly, but the friendships at Forge remained open to this
24:56
day. I won't forget my second training camp walking downstairs on my Lee high
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door to paramedics rushing in and coach Dave Cally's look on his face and made
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the expression like he had seen a ghost a whole lot clearer. I asked
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if I can help, and he said no, just go to practice.
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Had one. We'd find out later a practice that Garrett Reid had passed away.
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Only a few hours after that, Andy addressed the team. It's the
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most intense moment I've ever shared with a group of men, and the outpouring
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of support and love for my friend and the Reed family at the funeral soon
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after was truly remarkable. I won't forget Chip Kelly's first game as Eagles head
26:34
coach against the Washington Redskins. We ran close to fifty plays in the first
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half. We were so tired, but it didn't matter because they couldn't stop
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us. The NFL had never seen something like this before. I remember all
26:51
of us thinking after that game, this is going to change the NFL.
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I won't forget walking out onto a snowless field warm ups against the Detroit Lions
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and then walking out of the tunnel to a blizzard. The Lions and white
27:07
jerseys blended into the snow so well I could not see. The secondary of
27:11
the defense in the second half was all the Shawn McCoy. He somehow figured
27:18
out a way to cut on a dime that day, and man, it
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was incredible to watch. It was probably the most fun game of football I've
27:26
ever been in. It felt like we were all kids again that day,
27:30
just playing in the backyard. I won't forget finding out in the twenty seventeen
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Rams game that Carson Wentz towards acl The whole team had an uneasy feeling in
27:47
the locker room, all of us questioning what this would mean, until Malcolm
27:52
Jenkins addressed the team. He gave a very typical Malcolm speech, invoking confidence
27:56
in who we were and breaking it down with this patent died, we all
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we got, we all we need. I won't forget Nick Foles having the
28:06
game of his life on the biggest stage possible and the biggest dick on the
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team going up to Doug Peterson and asking for the Philly Special, and Doug
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Peterson having the biggest balls in the stadium to say, yeah, let's do
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it. And Brandon Graham finding a way to stop Tom Brady once literally once,
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And the way the ball hung in the air on that last hil Mary,
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and how it felt like an eternity just looking, no sound, registering,
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completely engulfed in the moment when it finally landed, running onto the field
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looking for a flag, anything that would mean it was over. We had
29:07
done it. I won't forget the parade and what it meant to the city
29:14
of Philadelphia, the joy it brought our community, and the closure it gave
29:18
to so many, The stories from fans that had been waiting generations for that
29:23
moment fulfilled that triumph to another level. On the route, I remember meeting
29:30
a woman with ashes of a dead relative whom she had promised wouldn't miss the
29:33
parade if the Eagles had ever won it. A speech that had written itself,
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and one that had symbolized what we had all lived as players, as
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a team, and as a city. That wasn't my speech. It was
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Philadelphia's. I won't forget my mother becoming Mom of the NFL, a representative
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for all my out there who have sacrificed so much for their children. I
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won't forget Nick Sirianni sending me kegs of beard to convince me to keep playing
30:10
these last few years. He knows the key to my heart. I won't
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forget making the playoffs in his first season, the Super Bowl in is next,
30:22
and the immense heartbreak at the collapse of this last season. And although
30:29
last season truly sucked, I wouldn't trade any of my time with you or
30:33
those teams for the world. Everything happens for a reason, and I have
30:40
truly enjoyed my time with you, Coach. Sometimes the flowers get knocked back
30:45
a bit, but the roots remain, and I can't wait to watch what
31:00
reblossoms this next season. I won't forget falling short to the Chiefs. This
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is where it's going to go off the rails. H I won't forget falling
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short to the Chiefs and the conflicted feeling of immense heartbreak I had selfishly for
31:49
myself and for my teammates, and at the same time, the amount of
31:56
pride I had that my brother had climbed the mountaintop once again. We have
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a small family. We have a small family. We have a small family,
32:34
no cousins, one aunt, one uncle. It was really my brother
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and I our whole lives. We did almost everything together. Competed, fought,
32:52
laughed, cried and learned from each other. We invented games, imagined
33:02
ourselves as star players of that time. We'd envision making the winning plays day
33:10
after day on Cooler Ridge Road. We won countless Super Bowls in our minds
33:19
before ever leaving the house. And when we weren't playing, we were at
33:29
the other one's games, butt seated in a lawn chair or a bench,
33:34
a Caprice's son in our hand that mom had packed, cheering during the game,
33:40
and waiting outside afterward to celebrate a victory together or offer encouragement after a
33:47
defeat. There is no chance I'd be here without the bond Travis and I
33:52
share. It made me stronger, tougher, smarter. It taught me the
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values of cooperation, loyalty, patience and understanding. It's only too poetic.
34:09
I found my career being fulfilled in the city of brotherly love. I knew
34:20
that relationship all too well. Some people struggle to play in this city.
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They can't handle the booze. The media or our fans consider it a great
34:35
blessing to play in the most passionate sports town in America. The sense of
34:38
urgency in this city to win has pushed our organization, has fueled it to
34:45
take chances, fixed problems, and worked tirelessly in an effort to win.
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At times you hate it as an athlete, especially those new to our city,
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but when you've been through it enough, you learn to appreciate it.
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No one celebrates their own like the city of Philadelphia. Athletes become demigods in
35:07
this city, even ones whose deeds spend decades before. The Eagles are the
35:14
number one ticket in town, the most talked about thing at nearly every moment.
35:19
But that amount of attention, you better be ready to overcome the lows
35:22
that will happen and be ready to persevere in the face of the criticism.
35:30
Yes, they will let you know when you are not performing well every time,
35:38
but they will also love you. If you show effort, aggression,
35:44
desire, the will to fight, they will love you in this city.
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If you love it the way you love your brother, you will be loved
35:57
by going above and beyond the show that you care because they care. They've
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been caring for generations in this town about this team, and they aren't about
36:08
to accept a bunch of excuses and soft ass nonsense representing the name on the
36:14
front of the jersey, something they've invested their entire lives in. If you
36:20
don't like what the fans and media are saying, as a player, it's
36:22
very easy love them, treat them like your brothers, and go out and
36:28
play your balls off, wear your heart on your sleeve, and I guarantee
36:35
you change those narratives. I remember seeing zach Ertz shy away from a block
36:40
one game against Vontes Berflickt in the Cincinnati Bengals, rightfully so the fans ripped
36:46
him apart, crushing him for doing it. The next week, the first
36:52
catch I saw zach Ertz snag. He ran after the catch like I had
36:58
never seen. It took three guys to bring him down, and I heard
37:02
the link erupt with cheers for his effort. Today, you won't find a
37:09
single Philadelphian with a bad word to say about zach Ertz in the legacy he
37:15
left behind. As players, you write the narratives, the fans and media.
37:22
For the most part, it's occasionally different. Only write what you give
37:29
them. If you go above and beyond in this city, you will be
37:34
rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. I saw firsthand the wrath of the Eagles fans
37:39
in the twenty sixteen Eagles season, and rightfully so. I had an awful
37:45
start to that season where I was often overpowered, had many holding penalties that
37:52
cost our team, and looked like one of the worst centers in the league.
38:00
It out of town by nearly everyone. And it wasn't just the fans
38:04
that wanted me to go on. It was nearly everyone in this organization.
38:08
That offseason, I heard trade rumors galore and speculation I'd be cut. I
38:14
imagine if the Eagles had received a trade offer for a brand new set of
38:17
washing machines, they may have pulled the trigger. Hell, if I was
38:22
in charge, I would have pulled the trigger. There's only one person in
38:27
this building who still wanted me, and it's he who I have to thank
38:31
most for the career I've had, and that's Jeff Stoutlin. No one has
38:49
been most influential, No one has been more influential or meaningful, So my
38:55
success on the field of my career than Stout. I think one of the
39:00
greatest things a human being can give another is belief this world life. They
39:06
can be hard, they can challenge yourself the points of self doubt, and
39:09
that is a dangerous place to be. Well. I am lucky my whole
39:15
life. I have been surrounded by people that have believed in me. My
39:19
father, my mother, my brother, Paul Longo, Howard Mudd, and
39:24
in my darkest hour as a Philadelphian, Stout was the one who believed in
39:29
me. He was adamant my problems could be fixed with proper technique, fundamentals
39:36
and work, and work we did that off season and training camp. I
39:42
focused on using my hands better, playing with leverage, proper footwork, and
39:47
prepared with an edge to prove to myself that I was good enough. The
39:52
following season, in twenty seventeen, I enjoyed the finest season of my thirteen
39:57
year career, not only as a player but as a team, and it
40:02
meant more because of the struggles and work we had been through. Without him,
40:09
I doubt any of this would have been possible, or that I'd still
40:14
be here. Since that offseason, I have a mass six All pros,
40:19
five Pro Bowls, and been recognized by some as one of the best centers
40:23
to ever play the game. I am very proud knowing where I once was
40:30
and the legacy I have left behind. And the man we can all thank
40:32
is Jeff Stalin second stout quote of the evening. No man is an island.
40:38
We must draw our strengths from others. I'd like to thank my teammates,
40:46
my other brothers. Oh how I've drawn my strengths from you all.
40:53
I was fortunate to play with great players, some of the best in this
40:58
league has the offer, but it was really off the field, just sitting
41:04
in the cafeteria with my teammates, breaking bread and talking about life. That
41:08
were some of the most meaningful times I spent in my career. The NFL
41:15
is truly like no other place, and at the same time represents America as
41:20
a whole like no other Fat offensive lineman from Cleveland play on the same field
41:30
as skinny wide receivers from Louisiana and kickers from Chicago. Tight Ends from Stanford
41:44
play next to tackles from Kilgore Community College. Defensive ends from Inner City,
41:50
Detroit play next to defensive tackles from Yazoo City, Mississippi. Six foot nine
41:58
Jordan Malatta plays the same sports four foot eight. There in sprolls. The
42:07
melting pot of geographic location, economic background, race, body type, personality,
42:15
and athletic traits of an NFL locker room is truly remarkable, and we
42:21
all rely on each other and respect one another and each of our differences because
42:27
we know we're stronger together. I will always cherish this brotherhood, the relationships
42:34
have fostered, and how unique an experience it has been to enjoy the field
42:38
with you all. Coming to work every day with a group of men who
42:44
were driven to be the best in the world at what they do is an
42:47
environment that will surely be hard to replicate. I won't forget the Eagles Christmas
42:55
party in twenty fourteen and heading out afterwards with a bunch of my teammates the
43:01
Buffalo Billiards, where my life would change forever. That night, i'd meet
43:08
my future wife. I still remember the moment she walked through the door.
43:22
The first instance is burned in my retina. It was like she glided through
43:30
the opening, an aura around her. Then she started talking, and I
43:40
thought, man, is this what love feels like? She was beautiful and
43:47
smart, serious yet playful. I knew it right away. I think it's
43:55
no coincidence. I have enjoyed my best years of my career with Kylie by
44:00
my side. Every accolade I have ever received has come with her in my
44:06
life. She has brought the best out of me through love, devotion,
44:10
support, honesty, intelligence, and of course the swift kick in the ass
44:16
from time to time. She has also given me three beautiful girls in a
44:22
life that increasingly brings me more fulfillment off the field than it does on.
44:30
We've had a great run, ki. I am a product of my upbringing.
44:37
I think one of the best things a person can be in this world
44:39
is a father. A father who was present, loving, devoted just be
44:46
the greatest gift a child could ask for in our society, and I have
44:52
a damn good one. My father believed in me more than anyone. He
44:58
believed in my brother, and whenever my own insecurities would arise or self doubt
45:04
would come in, he would stifle them with the warm embrace of belief,
45:08
unwavering love and belief. My father worked in the steel industry in Cleveland for
45:15
the majority of his life. I remember him taking me into a plant one
45:19
time and standing in awe of the molten steel and watching a giant ladle containing
45:25
a bunch of it hover over our heads just feet away. The heat radiated
45:32
when the molten steel was in sight, and I remember thinking how utterly amazing
45:37
my father's work was. He was the man and continues to be the man
45:45
and father I strive to be. My mother was a part of a generation
45:52
of females that was largely the first of their families to go to college.
45:59
When decided to go to college, her own father said he disagreed with the
46:02
idea, instead telling her instead she should become a secretary or be a wife.
46:13
In fact, the only thing that convinced him into letting her go to
46:15
college was my grandmother's insistance that my mother would find an educated man to settle
46:22
down with, and that would mean more money for the family. Mom took
46:28
the opportunity to go to college and graduated from the Ohio University. Worked in
46:32
banking for over forty years, climbing the corporate ladder from tell her to a
46:37
VP, and was largely the breadwinner for our family. I like to think
46:44
I got my toughness, aggression, and lunch pale mentality from my father and
46:50
from my mother. I learned the all two important lesson of never never letting
47:00
anyone tell you what you can't do. And so this all brings us here
47:07
to today, where I announce that I am retiring, where I announced I'm
47:21
retiring from the NFL after thirteen seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and today I
47:30
must admit I am officially overrated, vastly overrated. But fuck it took a
47:42
lot of hard work and determination getting here. I have been the underdog my
47:50
entire career, and I mean this when I say it, I wish I
47:54
still was a few things gave me more joy than proving one wrong. My
48:01
mother used to tell people, and still says to this day, if you
48:06
want Jason to do something, all you have to do is telling me can't.
48:10
And that was true in more ways than I care to admit. I
48:15
relish doubters. They fueled the fire within I suspect that comes from an upbringing
48:22
where my parents would tell me, Jason, you can do You can be
48:28
anything in this world you want to, as long as you put your mind
48:31
to it and work hard to achieve it. So whenever I was faced with
48:37
doubt in my career, be it from fans, from coaches, even from
48:40
my own teammates, the American dream would burn from deep inside my bones,
48:50
which leads to my last Jeff Stoutland quote, hungry dogs running fast. Thank
49:10
you Philadelphia, Oh my god, thank you Philadelphia. From the bottom of
49:20
my heart. Thank you for letting me represent this city and allowing me into
49:24
your homes every Sunday growing up. It has truly been a privilege. You
49:35
have all been so good to me and my family. Growing up in Cleveland.
49:40
I watched all of my favorite athletes leave the city. Hell, a
49:46
whole team left the city. It has always been a goal of mine to
49:55
play my whole career in one city, and I couldn't have dreamt a better
50:02
one and a better fit if I tried. I don't know what's next,
50:13
but I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that all wait. And
50:16
I know that I carry with me the lessons from my time here and that
50:22
forever and that forever we shall all share the bond of being Philadelphians. That's
50:37
all I got, Well, folks, that's it for us here on this
50:45
PST special podcast No Table Talk show. This week, we are going to
50:52
have our opposition Territory show and our regular show this week again, we're we're
50:54
going to be talking about Jason Kelsey's retirement speech, specifically with regard to the
51:00
fans aspect of you know this, with this city organization and with this football
51:07
culture meant to him. We're going to talk about more of that on our
51:10
regular show this week. It's going to drop Thursday, but again, March
51:15
fourth, twenty twenty four, truly a day that will live in infamy within
51:21
Philly sports, in Philly sports nation. Here, that's going to do it
51:24
for us, folks. Take care. We will catch you on the next
51:29
PST podcast show. Take Care now