Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is one of the best players in franchise history. However, after 13 years, he retired following the 2023 season. Kelce is now working as a broadcaster, and he’s making his return to Philadelphia for the Eagles’ Week 2 showdown against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football.
Ahead of his return, Kelce interviewed Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the two former teammates shared a special moment that showed just how close they truly are.
Jason Kelce and Jalen Hurts’ Heartwarming Moment
For years, Kelce and Hurts had one of the tightest relationships on the team. After all, the center and quarterback have a unique bond that connects them. For reference, the reason Hurts used to squat when he took the snap was because of Kelce and the way he snapped the ball.
Now, with ESPN, Kelce is back in Philadelphia as part of the broadcast crew on Monday Night Football. He’ll serve as an analyst during the pre-game show and will be in the broadcast booth in the third quarter.
Prior to the game, Kelce and Hurts did a sit-down interview, which ended up being extremely wholesome.
Jason Kelce interviews Jalen Hurts for ESPN:
Hurts: “The one thing I respected about you so much was you had a lot on your plate. You had a lot you were responsible for but you always did it for the guy next to you. I love you.”
Kelce: "I love you, too." pic.twitter.com/gQu7EB7kxN
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 16, 2024
“The one thing I respected about you so much was you had a lot on your plate,” Hurts told Kelce. “You had a lot you were responsible for but you always did it for the guy next to you. That’s the one thing that I’ll always respect. That’s what it’s about. … I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Kelce replied.
Kelce and Hurts, plus the rest of the Eagles’ offensive line, were responsible for one of the most successful plays in recent memory: the “Tush Push.”
The Eagles’ version of the quarterback sneak was so deadly due to Kelce’s ability to get low and Hurts’ lower-body strength. Both Kelce and Hurts talked about the Tush Push during this interview.
Jason Kelce and Jalen Hurts discussed the “Tush Push” during their one-on-one interview.
It sure seems like Hurts is having a bit more fun and letting his personality show in 2024. pic.twitter.com/7YD8wcL0GL
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaPFN) September 16, 2024
“You don’t miss that play?” Hurts asked.
“I definitely don’t miss that play,” Kelce responded. “Getting up after being smothered down. You had to help me up half the time because you were the one lying on top of me.”
The two then dove into the play’s success in the first week without Kelce.
“Is it over? Are you just gonna hand it of to Saquon [Barkley] now?” Kelce said.
“I’m cool with whatever works, man. I’ve embraced it but the one thing I never embraced was the name because that’s not what we call it,” Hurts said. “But [Tush Push] has taken over, and it’s all fun. It’s even funner when you’re doing it right.”
Kelce finished his NFL career with a Hall-of-Fame resume. He played in 193 games, all of which were all starts, and he was a six-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowler. He did all of that after being a sixth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.