What started as a fun crossover appearance may have turned into something far more serious for Jason Kelce. The retired football star got a firsthand taste of NASCAR life with Hendrick Motorsports, stepping into pit road duties. After a winning outing and plenty of praise, Kelce’s one-off appearance suddenly feels less like a celebrity cameo and more like the beginning of an unexpected NASCAR chapter, especially to the driver concerned.

Speaking post-race, Talladega’s newest winner, Corey Day, is more than happy to have Kelce on board for a long time to come.

“Super cool to have him,” the 20-year-old said. “He came to pit practice a couple Tuesdays ago with me and my team, and they kind of showed him, you know, he did the jack, he did the tire changer, he did the fuel…so a lot of fun to have him here with us today, and I’m gonna try to get him to come to a couple more because it seems like he’s a good luck charm for me.”

It is no secret that the California native enjoyed sharing the garage with former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce at Talladega Superspeedway. As the Super Bowl champion spent time learning the ropes with the No. 17 team, it all paid off that weekend.

And now the 20-year-old wouldn’t mind having Kelce on the team. The 38-year-old didn’t just stand around for photos; he jumped straight into the action, working as a pit sign holder for HMS while also helping with fuel cans and tire handling during the race.

It was an unexpected crossover moment: a Super Bowl champion swapping football pads for pit road. However, Kelce made it look easy.

NASCAR pit crews have long been filled with former athletes thanks to the physical demands, quick reactions, and teamwork required under pressure. However, his appearance also sparked mixed reactions online.

But criticism became background noise once the race unfolded. Day delivered when it mattered most, surviving a frantic three-wide battle to secure his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory, edging out rivals in a dramatic fashion. Now it almost feels inevitable that HMS may want the 38-year-old back for another shift on pit road.

Why NASCAR attracts former football talent

For decades, NASCAR has quietly built a second career lane for athletes whose football dreams did not quite reach the NFL. Pit road, after all, demands many of the same traits scouts look for on the field: explosiveness, strength, reaction time, and trust in a system bigger than yourself.

Teams regularly recruit at college pro days and combines, giving former linebackers, receivers, and basketball players a chance to turn raw athleticism into a profession in the garage. The ongoing draft cycle only strengthens that pipeline, with NASCAR organizations often watching the same athletes who hope to hear their names called by major leagues.

That crossover has become so common that pit crew members now resemble special teams units more than traditional mechanics. Former college athletes make up a significant percentage of modern over-the-wall crews, particularly at powerhouse organizations like HMS.

NASCAR’s modern pitstop, often completed in under 10 seconds, relies on synchronized movements, conditioning, and repetition, making it a natural landing spot for athletes who still crave competition after their playing days end.

Even NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski has openly explained why teams aggressively pursue these athletes.

“We welcome top NCAA players with safer/longer careers and better pay while still filling the competitive needs of our athletes better than the NFL practice squads or the CFL. This attracts a lot of amazing talent,” he said.

That’s why someone like Jason Kelce stepping into the pit road culture doesn’t feel random at all. In many ways, he simply entered a world that has been welcoming former football talent for years.