Jason Kelce is back at it, delighting fans with his festive spirit and musical talents! On Thursday, November 14, the retired NFL star and beloved former Philadelphia Eagles center joined indie rock band Mt. Joy on stage for a special performance of their holiday tune, “Santa Drives an Astrovan.” The track is featured on Jason’s Philadelphia-themed holiday album, A Philly Special Christmas Party, and the performance came just in time to spread some holiday cheer ahead of the Eagles’ game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field.
In a video capturing the moment, shared on Instagram in a joint post by the Eagles, the NFL, Mt. Joy, and A Philly Special Christmas, Jason Kelce is seen stepping out of a car in gray-blue overalls, waving at the cheering fans. The video caption announced, “Jason Kelce joins Mt. Joy to perform ‘Santa Drives an Astro Van,'” as the 37-year-old made his way to the stage.
Once on stage, Kelce addressed the excited crowd. “This goes a long way to help promote this album, which is going to help a lot of families around this area, around the holidays. So thank you so much for supporting,” Kelce said, referencing A Philly Special Christmas Party. He then added, “Let’s get ready for this football game and enjoy one last song. Let’s go, baby!”
The video featured several fun snippets of the performance, showing Kelce belting out a verse and chorus, interacting with the crowd, and even holding a stuffed toy as he sang.
Fans were loving every moment of it. The Instagram post read, “Jason Kelce & Mt. Joy collab is everything Philly needed & more ?,” perfectly summing up the magic of the moment.
“Santa Drives an Astrovan” is a Christmas-themed reimagining of Mt. Joy’s popular 2016 debut single “Astrovan,” and the collaboration between Kelce and the band added a unique and spirited twist.
Fans were quick to share their enthusiasm, with one fan capturing footage of Kelce holding a banana-shaped maraca and joyfully shaking it on stage, then tossing a giant yellow teddy bear into the crowd. Clips of Kelce’s cameo with the band spread quickly across social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter).
Jason Kelce’s love for performing holiday tunes doesn’t end there. According to USA Today, Kelce spoke about his Mt. Joy performance on a recent episode of his New Heights podcast, which he hosts with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
He admitted feeling a bit unsure before the performance. “I don’t know if this is the right thing to do,” he said with a chuckle. “The Eagles are about to play the most important game of the year, they’re playing the Washington Commanders, and me and Mt. Joy are gonna go in there before the game kicks off and perform a Christmas song.”
Despite the uncertainty, the Eagles went on to win the game, beating the Commanders 26-18—a fitting way to cap off the festive night.
Jason Kelce has been full of surprises this holiday season. During the November 12 episode of the New Heights podcast, he also talked about his duet with Stevie Nicks—a cover of the song “Maybe This Christmas.” The track, also featured on A Philly Special Christmas Party, has been a huge hit, even topping the iTunes 100 Holiday chart. Kelce’s cover claimed the number one spot, beating out Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Travis Kelce couldn’t help but ask how his brother felt about surpassing Mariah Carey, to which Jason playfully replied, “You know, I’ve fought my whole life to be the queen of Christmas, and the fact that we’re finally there … it’s just really special.” The good-natured banter between the brothers only added to the festive fun of the podcast.
“Maybe This Christmas” was released on November 8, and fans can look forward to A Philly Special Christmas Party, which will be available on November 22.
With Jason Kelce’s holiday cheer, unforgettable performances, and genuine enthusiasm, it’s clear that he’s adding his own unique twist to this season’s celebrations—bringing joy not just to football fans, but to music lovers as well.
