Future first-ballot Hall of Famer Jason Kelce was a pro’s pro to the end

There are those players whose retirements predicate discussions as to whether they are future Hall of Famers.

Jason Kelce is not one of those players. If the longtime Philadelphia Eagles center, who will retire after 13 years in the trenches, isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer, someone needs to do something about the voting process. The 36-year-old Kelce finishes his NFL career with seven Pro Bowl nods, six First-Team All-Pro selections, a Super Bowl ring, and a place as one of the greatest athletic centers of all time.

Even in his final game, Philly’s 32-9 wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, Kelce was stoning defenders to all levels of the field as he had for eons.

Has there been a center in Kelce’s era who has played as well or better at a consistent rate? Not hardly. Has there been a center in the new millenium who has played as well or better at a consistent rate? Not really. There’s a legitimate argument to be made that Kelce is a top-five center in the Super Bowl era, and those who would present five better names had better come with all kinds of homework.

Jason Kelce is the fifth center in NFL history with at least six All-Pro selections. The other four — Jim Otto, Bulldog Turner, Dermotti Dawson, Jim Ringo — are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 16, 2024

In his final season, including that playoff loss, Kelce allowed two sacks, one quarterback hit, and 11 quarterback hurries in 697 pass-blocking reps. And as we’ve seen, he was equally adept in blowing people up in the run game.

Moreover, Kelce was a leader, an unerring standard-bearer, and the kind of intelligent goofball who endears himself to a city and to a franchise once and forever.

You had a feeling it was over near the end of that Bucs loss, when Kelce spent a few important and emotional moments with longtime line coach Jeff Stoutland.

Still, it’s jarring when an all-time great leaves the game under any circumstances, and that’s what we’re facing here.

"I love him. He's one of the best to ever play the game," Lane Johnson said of Jason Kelce. "The things he can do on the football field athletically — I don't think we'll see another one like him for a long time."

— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) January 16, 2024

Jason Kelce has:

• Played 13 seasons
• Won a Super Bowl
• Six First-Team All-Pros
• Seven Pro Bowls
• $81.7M in career earnings
• A top sports podcast
• Two Christmas albums
• His own documentary
• His own apparel
• His own youth charity

Now, he’s calling it a career.

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 16, 2024

Jason Kelce broke through a barrier that VERY few (if any) ever did before him: He was a famous offensive lineman. Arguably the most popular the league has ever seen.

It was his personality, but he also was VERY good at football.

First ballot Hall of Famer — and his speech…

— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) January 16, 2024

Jason Kelce is one of 57 players in pro football history to make First Team All-Pro at least six times. Of those, 51 are in the HOF. Three are active, and all likely to make it. Kelce will join them in Canton. We were lucky enough to watch one of the best players of all time.

— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) January 16, 2024

Story originally appeared on Touchdown Wire