Philadelphia Eagles News

Jason Kelce announces 2020 return as only he can

Apr 16, 2020 at 08:28 PM

Chris McPherson

"I have decided to RETIRE," center Jason Kelce wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday morning, briefly sending shockwaves through Eagles nation, "... from arm wrestling."

A collective sigh of relief was exhaled by Eagles everywhere.

The arm-wrestling reference was a tip of the cap to a video of the All-Pro center showcasing his strength against a fellow customer at a bar in Havertown, just outside of Philadelphia, two months ago.

But Kelce was serious about announcing his intentions to return for the 2020 season.

"I am fully excited for the 2020 season and will be out there with my teammates, coaches and hopefully fans this coming season," Kelce typed. "Enough media members and fans have reached out if I am playing next season, and I just wanted to make an announcement so I can stop getting asked."

View this post on Instagram

Until now I haven’t address my future because I have been mulling it over for some time this offseason. I wanted to allow my body and mind to fully recover from the rigors of an NFL season, and take time with my family to see what lies ahead. After thinking long and hard about this I have come to a decision. I have decided to RETIRE... from arm wrestling. I leave behind a 2-0 record, one win against this man, and the other being against @28cgiroux and want to go out on top. It was a good run, but my drunken arm wrestling days are behind me, and it’s better to move on to a more mature future. I thank everyone along the way that has made this possible! Especially @brickandbrew for cutting me off after this debacle (which was completely warranted, love you guys) and getting me to sleep. Despite this retirement, I am fully excited for the 2020 season and will be out there with my teammates, coaches and hopefully fans this coming season. Enough media members and fans have reached out if I am playing next season, and I just wanted to make an announcement so I can stop getting asked. Can’t wait to be out there this season, can’t wait to have sports back, and I can’t wait till this lockdown is over. #GoEagles

A post shared by Jason Kelce (@jason.kelce) on Apr 16, 2020 at 7:48am PDT

One prominent center in the NFC East, Dallas' Travis Frederick, surprisingly announced his retirement on March 23 after seven seasons. He earned five Pro Bowls in six seasons where he actually played, sitting out the 2018 campaign to recover from Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder where the immune system attacks the nerves.

The 32-year-old Kelce will be entering his 10th NFL season in 2020. One of the best value draft picks in Eagles history, the sixth-round selection is the best center in football having earned first-team All-Pro honors in each of the past three years. The league's ironman among centers, Kelce hasn't missed a game since the 2014 campaign, a streak of 95 straight games, including playoffs.