The legend, Jason Kelce, might have retired from the NFL, but his body is still paying the price of more than a decade in the NFL. Jason recently announced that a nagging injury to his elbow continues to bug him. This issue could not help but come up on the New Heights podcast, where retirement, comebacks, and wear and tear on the football field converged organically.

Speaking on the New Heights podcast, Jason Kelce opened up about his condition.

“I can’t bend my elbow right now. I got a loose body. I can’t even touch my head right now because I got a loose body stuck in my fu—- elbow joint,” the Eagles legend said.

According to Kelce, he is doing everything he can to prevent undergoing the surgery for the second time, but the situation is not as simple as it may seem. His elbow cartilage has been giving him problems for years, and he had already had a “clean-out” surgery in 2022 to deal with this problem. Even today, he suffers from pain and stiffness in the elbow.

This background put his reaction to Travis’s unretirement joke in no doubt. When his brother asked jokingly whether he knew a player who might mount a return to the league, Jason emphatically dismissed the idea as not being him, since his body, rather than his mind, is the problem.

Though Travis Kelce jokingly broached that he “knows” a retiring player with a possible surprise comeback. However, Jason was clear that he’s not considering that route.

The Eagles legend decided to hang up his cleats after the 2023 season. For Jason, it was more about the question of why it was a good decision not to stay involved, although football is something that will always be part of his life.

He was drafted in the sixth round in 2011 and played his entire 13-year NFL career in Philadelphia. He contributed to his team making six playoff appearances and going to two Super Bowls, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and six first-team All-Pro awards.

This discussion is set against the background of a comeback that has made headlines across the league. Philip Rivers made his return to action. He broke a historic streak to have the longest layoff between NFL games.

Before Rivers, this level of performance was achieved by Steve DeBerg, who went back and played for the Atlanta Falcons in 1998 at the age of 44. Rivers’ return sparked an immediate question of whether retirement is ever truly final for elite quarterbacks.

Amid all this, the retirement rumors around Travis Kelce are also speeding up.

Jason Kelce on Travis’ retirement speculation

Jason Kelce spoke about the issue on Dec. 15 via ESPN Monday Night Football’s pregame show, and his remarks contained useful guidance, not predictions. What Jason Kelce said is that the most important thing is not basing a decision emotionally after a season.

“In my opinion, to nail that decision, you gotta step away from the game for a little bit,” Jason continued. “Play these last three games, enjoy them with your teammates, enjoy them with your coaches. The team’s going to be different no matter whether you come back or not next year. So enjoy these last three games.”

Jason’s point is that, more and more, clarity comes with time. It’s difficult to miss the similarity between the two players. Travis is 36 years old, the same age Jason was when he retired following the 2023 season.

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For Jason, the takeaway is simple: Retirement isn’t about proving you can keep doing something; it’s about knowing when it’s time to stop.