Jason Kelce seemingly drops subtle Taylor Swift reference into emotional NFL retirement speech

Jason Kelce seemingly dropped a few subtle references to his brother’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, in his emotional retirement speech — or at least he took some inspiration from her songs.

The veteran Philadelphia Eagles player, 36, announced he was hanging up his football cleats after 13 seasons in the NFL during a press conference Monday.

“It’s only too poetic I found my career being fulfilled in the city of brotherly love, I knew that relationship all too well,” the athlete said about his brother, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, quoting Swift’s “All Too Well” song.

Jason Kelce may have subtly referenced Taylor Swift in his retirement speech. AP The former NFL player mentioned two of Swift’s biggest hits by name in his speech. AFP via Getty Images “I knew that relationship all too well,” he said about his brother. Getty Images

Elsewhere in the announcement, Jason called out a second song when he said, “If you go above and beyond in this city, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.”

Here, the father of three may have been referencing Swift’s song, “Wildest Dreams.”

During his speech, the 36-year-old sobbed as he recalled memories of playing football as a kid, along with the hardships he faced to make it as a professional athlete.

The veteran Eagles player, who sobbed through the press conference, also namedropped another song. Fox “If you go above and beyond in this city, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams,” he said, potentially calling out a song from Swift’s “1989” album. [SOURCE] for TAS Rights Management

He also thanked his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, brother Travis, and his wife, Kylie Kelce, who were all holding back tears from the audience.

“There is no chance I would be here without the bond Travis and I share,” he said of the star tight end.

“It was really my brother and I our whole lives. We did almost everything together — competed, fought, laughed, cried and learned from each other. We invented games, imagine ourselves as star players of that time.

Jason’s family members were also visibly emotional throughout the announcement. Getty Images “There is no chance I would be here without the bond Travis and I share,” he said. Getty Images

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“We envisioned making winning plays day after day. We won countless Super Bowls in our minds before ever leaving the house. And when we weren’t playing we were at the other one’s games.”

The now-retired footballer continued wiping away tears as he recalled meeting his wife, Kylie, during the 2014 Eagles’ Christmas party and how proud he is to be a girl dad to their three daughters: Wyatt, 4, Elliotte, 3, and Bennie, 1.

He also thanked his wife, Kylie, for her support. Instagram/@kykelce The couple are parents to three young daughters. Michael Zorn/Shutterstock

“Thank you, Philadelphia, from the bottom of my heart,” he concluded. “It has truly been a privilege. You have all been good to me and my family … I don’t know what’s next but I look forward to the new challenges and lessons that await.”

The center was the Eagles’ sixth-round pick in the 2011 draft and he spent his entire career with the team.

He won a Super Bowl ring in 2018 and memorably helped lead his team to the big game in 2023, where he faced off against his brother. The Eagles lost to the Chiefs 38-35.