Super Bowl LII champ, era-defining centre Jason Kelce retires after 13 seasons with Eagles

Jason Kelce has retired after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 36-year-old Kelce officially called it quits Monday at the Eagles' NovaCare Complex, ending a career in which he became not only one of the great centres of his era who played a key role in the franchise's lone Super Bowl (LII) championship but a beloved Philly personality and popular podcast host.

"Let's see how long this lasts," said Kelce, wearing a sleeveless Eagles T-shirt, before he burst into tears and needed several moments to compose himself at a news conference attended by his parents, Ed and Donna, and brother Travis, who was wearing sunglasses inside the auditorium. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni sat behind reporters.

Kelce needed 45 minutes to recount his career from his childhood in Ohio to his final days with the Eagles through tears, laughter and many thanks to his biggest influences before he finally announced he was retiring.

"I have been the underdog my entire career," he said. "And I mean this when I say it, I still wish I was."

Kelce was a sixth-round pick out of Cincinnati in the 2011 draft. The burly, bushy-haired and bearded Kelce has been a stalwart of the offensive line since he was drafted and as an Iron Man after he missed most of the 2012 season with a partially torn MCL and torn ACL.

The moment that endeared him for life to the Philly faithful came at the Super Bowl parade following the 2017 season when he dressed as one of Philadelphia's famed Mummers, and the ultimate underdog delivered a fiery, profane speech that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

"No one likes us! No one likes us! No one likes us! We don't care," Kelce exclaimed that day in February 2018. "We're from Philly! [Expletive] Philly. No one likes us! We