Jason Kelce is fully aware that his return to Philadelphia took center stage during ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcast between the Eagles and Falcons—and he knows not everyone was thrilled about it.
The retired Philadelphia Eagles center, now a sports commentator, acknowledged that while his homecoming was celebrated by Eagles fans, some viewers, especially those rooting for the Falcons, might have found the focus on him a bit over the top.
“Atlanta had to deal with me for four hours before things got rough for the Eagles,” Kelce said on Wednesday’s episode of the “New Heights” podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. They were discussing Philadelphia’s Week 2 loss to the Falcons.
Kelce, always one for humor and blunt honesty, didn’t shy away from addressing the criticism. “Listen, I want to apologize to Falcons fans watching because I understand that you just had to watch a Philadelphia celebration, basically a parade of a former player coming back home,” he said.
Travis, always quick to support his brother, chimed in, “We all deserved to see that, that’s what people wanted to see,” praising ESPN for what he called a “great job” in capturing the moment.
Jason, however, wasn’t exactly apologetic. “I want to apologize, but I’m not going to because it was f–king awesome,” he said with a laugh.
Kelce’s homecoming at Lincoln Financial Field was a much-anticipated event, as it marked his first time back since retiring from the NFL in March after a 13-year career with the Eagles. As part of the pregame festivities, cameras captured Kelce hyping up Eagles fans before the game. He even joined Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in the commentary booth during the third quarter, where he reflected on how surreal it was to be back at the Linc, this time as an analyst.
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“How crazy is it? The first time I’m back in the building, and I’m commenting on a game?” Kelce said during the podcast. “Before the game, being out in the parking lot, the countdown, being up in the booth with Joe and Troy—it was really, really awesome for me. Selfishly, I am just beyond happy that that’s how I get to remember my first time being in the Linc not as a player. At the same time, I fully understand why a bunch of Atlanta people hate my guts right now, so I apologize.”
Despite the feel-good moment for Kelce and Eagles fans, the game itself didn’t go Philadelphia’s way. Atlanta, coming off a tough home-opening loss to the Steelers, managed to pull off a last-minute victory. Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a late fourth-quarter touchdown to wide receiver Drake London, putting Atlanta ahead 22-21.
Although the Eagles had a chance to respond, Jalen Hurts’ interception with just 34 seconds left sealed the win for the Falcons.
In the aftermath, the game’s coverage—and Kelce’s prominent role in it—sparked some backlash. Sports media outlets and fans alike criticized ESPN for focusing too much on the Eagles and their former star, overshadowing the Falcons’ performance and eventual comeback victory.
“I can’t imagine what a Falcons fan must have thought of that second half when their team was completely ignored before pulling off a stunning comeback,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina in a column titled, “ESPN Turned Falcons-Eagles Into Never-Ending ‘Jason Kelce Show.’”
Kyle Brandt of Good Morning Football also weighed in on Tuesday’s episode of the NFL Network program, saying, “The E in ESPN stood for Eagles,” as reported by Awful Announcing.
Despite the controversy, Kelce took the entire situation in stride, showing his characteristic self-awareness and humor. He knows his role as the face of Philadelphia football made for great TV—at least for Eagles fans.
As “Monday Night Football” gears up for Week 3, where the crew will head to Buffalo for the Bills vs. Jaguars matchup, it remains to be seen if Jason Kelce’s next adventure in the broadcast booth will be as eventful as his Philadelphia homecoming.
For now, the former NFL star seems content with his new career, even if not all fans are on board with the extra attention he received.
