Jason Kelce didn't need a delivery of beer kegs to convince him he's not done with football this time around.
The Philadelphia Eagles center announced Monday he will return for a 13th season in the NFL.
"I have put much thought into whether it makes sense to play another season," Kelce wrote on Twitter. "After talking it over with my wife and many other friends and family, I have decided to return for another year. Thank you to all my supporters and detractors for fueling me, I ain't f-----g done yet!"
The Eagles later announced they had agreed to terms with Kelce to return for the 2023 campaign. The veteran center's deal is worth up to $14.75 million over one season, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday.
Kelce certainly hasn't provided anyone with a reason to believe he should walk away from the game. The five-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler earned both honors again in 2022, playing at an elite level that saw him ranked as the second-best center in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. He filled an essential role in Philadelphia's offense in both performance and leadership, helping the Eagles finish third in total offense in 2022 and cruise to an NFC title and appearance in Super Bowl LVII, the first in which two brothers (Jason and Kansas City's Travis Kelce) faced off.
Kelce has considered retirement in each of the last few offseasons, and when asked to help general manager Howie Roseman identify his eventual replacement, Kelce obliged, directing the Eagles to select Nebraska center Cam Jurgens in the 2022 NFL Draft. Philadelphia made this pick only after Kelce decided to play in 2022, a commitment secured in part by some extra effort made by Kelce's young coach, Nick Sirianni.
Last year, Sirianni ordered two kegs to be delivered to Kelce's home in a bid to convince him to return following a season in which the pivot's veteran leadership helped an upstart Eagles team sneak into the playoffs in the head coach's first year with the club. Kelce responded by recording a video of himself taking a gulp from a frothy, freshly poured cup from the keg, announcing he would return for 2022.
For 2023, a tweet will do. After falling to the Chiefs in heartbreaking fashion in Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles know how close they were to winning a title -- and how important Kelce is to Philadelphia's hopes of returning to the Super Bowl in the '23 season.
