Before a single pass was thrown at Nippert Stadium on September 5, the biggest roar of the afternoon belonged to a retired offensive lineman in a t-shirt. Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce stepped back onto his college home turf alongside his brother Travis, turning Cincinnati’s season opener into an emotional homecoming to celebrate his upcoming Hall of Fame induction.

The formal induction ceremony is on October 23, where Kelce’s Hall of Fame induction is part of Cincinnati’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The Bearcats have paired the ceremony with the program’s 100th Homecoming game against Texas Tech on October 24.

“Kelce authored an incredible career from 2006 to 2010, transforming from a walk-on linebacker to a three-year starter on the offensive line,” a statement from the Bearcats read, according to Natasha Dye of People.com.

Hall of Fame honors usually wait until a player’s career is long in the rearview mirror, but Cincinnati’s James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame guidelines allow legendary former student-athletes to be enshrined shortly after their professional retirement.

For Jason Kelce, coming off a storied 13-year NFL career in 2024, this selection isn’t just about his Super Bowl ring. It marks the highest individual honor his alma mater can bestow, cementing his legacy at the very place that turned an unheralded walk-on into football royalty.

Kelce served as a walk-on linebacker in 2006 and was named Scout Team Defensive MVP that year, before a position switch changed everything for the LII Super Bowl winner. Head coach Brian Kelly wanted a quick, athletic body to anchor his spread offense, and Kelce’s strength coach pushed him toward center position.

“He earned All-BIG EAST honors twice. Kelce played for head coaches Mark Dantonio, Brian Kelly, and Butch Jones, leading UC to back-to-back conference championships and the 2008 Orange Bowl and 2009 Sugar Bowl. He was the Scout Team Defensive MVP in 2006 before moving to the offensive line and starting three seasons from 2008 to 2010,” the university said.

Kelce started at left guard for two seasons, then moved to center as a senior. He started the final 38 games of his 47-game Bearcats career, where he played 26 as a left guard and 12 at center. Along the way, he helped Cincinnati win back-to-back conference titles and reach the 2008 Orange Bowl and 2009 Sugar Bowl, earning two All-Big East selections.

Kelce went on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles for 13 seasons, after being drafted in the sixth round (No. 191) of the 2011 draft. He earned seven Pro Bowls and six First-Team All-Pro nods during his tenure with the Eagles. He had also won Super Bowl LII in 2018 and made a second trip to the Super Bowl in 2023 with the Eagles.

By the time he retired in 2024, he had established himself as one of the most accomplished centers in league history. Kelce has always been candid about how he saw his own career, and it fit the Bearcats’ decision to induct him into the James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame.

“I have been the underdog my entire career,” Kelce said during his retirement presser, according to Benjamin Goldstein of Philly Sports Reports in March 2024. “And I mean this when I say it, I still wish I was.”

Kelce is also joined by Former Cincinnati and Philadelphia teammate Connor Barwin, longtime Bearcats basketball coach Bob Huggins, track and field standouts Loretta Blaut and Wayne Mason, baseball’s all-time batting average leader Mike Kinnett (baseball), and record-setting soccer goalkeeper Christy Hoffman.

Longtime athletic trainer Bob Mangine is also being honored separately with the Bob Goin Award. Though the inductee group spans decades of Cincinnati athletics, Kelce and Barwin sharing the stage feels special after they went from college teammates to teammates in Philadelphia.

As for the Saturday game against Boston College on September 5, Cincinnati gave its fans plenty to celebrate after a disappointing 7-6 2025 season. Cincinnati rushed for 255 yards, led by Gi’Bran Payne’s 100-yard game, and quarterback J.C. French IV scored three rushing touchdowns. The defense also came up with two turnovers and kept Boston College out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.

Scott Satterfield Reveals Cincinnati’s Offseason Focus Ahead of Texas Tech Game

Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield believes that Cincinnati’s offseason work has brought the team closer together. That chemistry will be tested when the Bearcats face a tough stretch with several ranked Big 12 opponents and difficult road games against teams like West Virginia, Iowa State, BYU, and Texas Tech.

“We’re trying to put out a great team of individuals that come together and play as a team, and I think that’s that’s been our focus this whole off season is to become really connected, to become tight as a unit, and that’s what we’ve been able to do, and it’s exciting to see these guys work this summer,” Satterfield said at Big 12 Media Days, according to Russell Heltman of Sports Illustrated.

Cincinnati’s 34–35 win over Boston College was a strong start after losing five consecutive games last season, with Gi’Bran Payne’s 100-yard game offering an early sign that Satterfield’s roster overhaul is paying off. Cincinnati hosts Western Carolina on September 12 for the first “Nippert at Night” game, giving the Bearcats a manageable test before the tough schedule.