Jason Kelce shocked the world when he sat for a 45-minute press conference on Monday to announce his retirement. After 13 seasons in the NFL, Kelce left millions of fans shocked at his decision. The 36-year-old’s tearful goodbye to football, resonated across sports, reeling in tributes from all corners of American sports. Particularly, Karl Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, both New Jersey natives joined Eagles fans to give Kelce a fitting send-off.

While  Towns wrote “THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING,” on his Instagram story, Brunson simply shared a photograph of Kelce. The seven-time Pro Bowler was widely regarded as one the greatest NFL centers to ever play the game. Jason Kelce was one of those players who elevate the game when they play it, and transcend it before they leave.

Jason Kelce won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, the only team he played for in his NFL career. “It has always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city. And I couldn’t have dreamt a better one and a better fit if I tried, I don’t know what’s next, but I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that await. And I know that I carry with me the lessons from my time here and that forever we can all share the bond of being Philadelphians,” said the former Super Bowl champ.

Jason Kelce was drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft from the University of Cincinnati. Throughout his career, he played under four different head coaches: Andy Reid, Chip Kelly, Doug Pederson, and Nick Sirianni. Moreover, he had also created a deep connection with the city of Philly, because of which, several fans like Kael-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson are very sad today. In his absence, the Eagles will surely struggle to fill the void.

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How will the Eagles replace Jason Kelce?

Filling the Jason Kelce-shaped hole will be next to impossible for any NFL franchise, and not just Philadelphia. The team could look for the answer inward for this. Emerging as a promising prospect is Cam Jurgens, a 2022 draft pick who has yet to see significant playing time but demonstrated potential when he filled in as right guard in 2023. Jurgens could potentially shoulder the load left by the retired center. Interestingly, Kelce himself endorsed Jurgens during the scouting process.

Kelce had foreseen the possibility of Jurgens stepping into his shoes as far back as 2022, stating, “I think a big part of them asking my opinion is really just them saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to draft your replacement here. Are you OK with this?'” Alternatively, the team could explore acquiring a new addition through the draft or trade. Among the top offensive line prospects in the 2024 Draft are Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson and Sedrick Van Pran.

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Powers-Johnson, the starting center for the Oregon Ducks, stands out for his impressive physique and agility. Meanwhile, Pran brings starting experience from his time with the Georgia Bulldogs. Lastly, there’s also the possibility of pursuing a trade. However, given their cap space of $27.4 million, the Eagles would need to free up an additional room if they aim to secure a center of Kelce’s caliber.

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