Jason Kelce spent 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in 2024, and his connection to the team has not exactly faded since he moved into broadcasting. That loyalty has become part of his public personality, but it can also create an awkward moment when he is expected to discuss Philadelphia as an analyst rather than a former teammate.
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Now, ahead of the Eagles’ Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, the former NFL center assured he’d be giving the Jags their due credit, after formerly being called out for praising the Eagles a bit too much as a broadcaster.
“I want to assure Jags fans I’ve seen a lot of the Jags accounts already saying that they’re not looking forward to this,” Kelce said on New Heights. “I will be doing my utmost to give you guys the credit you deserve. Jacksonville’s playing as good as any team right now in the AFC. I really do believe that.
“Liam Coen has those guys rolling. Their defense is like the best rush defense in the NFL, and nobody’s really talking about these guys as much as they should be. I’m gonna try and do them justice. But as an unbiased reporter, I will be giving you guys the respect that the job deserves.”
The promise follows his appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown on September 28, when the Eagles played the Chicago Bears. While discussing Philadelphia, Kelce repeatedly used “we” when talking about the Eagles. Former NFL punter and co-host Pat McAfee noticed it and called him out during the broadcast.
“A lot of ‘we’ talk from Jason for Philly,” McAfee said.
Jason quickly acknowledged the mistake, replying, “Sorry, Bears fans.” The exchange became a talking point online, with the clip circulating after the broadcast.
The moment Kelce is talking about happened in 2024, when the Eagles played the Falcons. Kelce was in the booth with ESPN’s Troy Aikman and Joe Buck as a guest for Monday Night Football. Unfortunately, the former Eagles offensive lineman couldn’t help but lean into his passion for the team. He cheered for Philadelphia when they scored a touchdown. But Atlanta fans were not happy.
“Nothing like watching most of the second half with Kelce cheering for the Eagles in the @espnbroadcast booth. I’m guessing this is the Eagles National Broadcast Network!” a fan wrote at the time.
This time, Kelce has got a serious gig as a host on Monday Night Football. However, he has assured he will be balanced in his coverage of the upcoming clash against the Jaguars, to the best possible limits.
Kelce’s love for the Eagles is understandable. He has spent his entire 13-year career with the Birds and won one Super Bowl with the team.
Jacksonville comes into the London game with wins over the Browns, Patriots, and Bengals. On New Heights, Jason Kelce praised quarterback Trevor Lawrence and head coach Liam Coen, promising to give the Jaguars fair coverage despite his loyalty to Philadelphia. He even joked about how he might react when Jacksonville makes a big play.
“Yaaayyyy!” he said, forced, before pretending to be sad. “Way to go, Jacksonville!
Jason’s challenge will be to back up that promise when the game begins. The Jaguars have built a 3-1 record under head coach Liam Coen, while the Eagles arrive at 2-2 after consecutive losses to Chicago and the Los Angeles Rams. With both teams needing a win, he will have plenty to analyze beyond his former team’s performance.