Source: Philadelphia Eagles make Jason Kelce highest paid center in NFL with new $14 million deal

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles and center Jason Kelce have agreed to a new $14 million contract, a source confirmed, making him the highest paid center in the league.

Kelce, who had been mulling retirement, announced on Thursday that he would be returning for his 12th NFL season.

The NFL Network was first to report the new deal.

The contract is structured similarly to the $9 million deal he signed last year, sources said, where money is spread over multiple years for cap purposes but functions as a one-year deal.

The Eagles did everything they could to incentivize Kelce, who has pondered retirement over the last several offseasons, to play another year. Coach Nick Sirianni even sent a keg of beer to Kelce's home to butter him up. In a video posted on social media Thursday, Kelce took a long swig from a beer poured out of that keg before announcing his return, saying he's having «way too much fun» to step away.

Kelce, 34, continues to play at a high level. He was named first-team All Pro for the fourth time in his career in 2021 while making his fifth Pro Bowl. He finished tied for third among centers in pass-block win rate (96 percent) in 2021 while tying for second in run-block win rate (72 percent), per ESPN's metrics.