Philadelphia Eagles star center Jason Kelce on Monday tearfully announced the end of his NFL football career with a tip of the cap to his fulfillment in marriage and fatherhood.
Kelce reflected on his 13 years in the NFL—all spent with the Eagles, including a win in Super Bowl 52 in 2018—and the enduring support he received from his wife, Kylie Kelce.
“It is no coincidence I have enjoyed my best years with Kylie by my side. Every accolade I have ever received has come with her in my life,” he said.
“She has brought the best out of me through love, devotion, support, honesty, intelligence—and a swift kick in the ass from time to time,” said Kelce, whose brother, Travis Kelce, is a tight end for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Kelce reflected upon the key role of fatherhood, saying, “I think one of the best things a person can be in this world is a father. A father who is present, devoted, and loving is the greatest gift a child could ask for in our society.”
Kelce went on to add that his wife has “also given me three beautiful girls and a life that increasingly brings me more fulfillment off the field than it does on.”
Brad Wilcox, a sociology professor at the University of Virginia, where he is also director of the National Marriage Project, affirmed that Kelce’s experience is not a rarity.
Research by the Institute for Family Studies, where Wilcox is a senior fellow, shows 35% of married dads report being “very happy,” while only 14% of unmarried and childless men can say the same. “The data tells us that no group of men are happier than married fathers,” he said.
“Today, our culture tells us two lies. The first lie is that the path to happiness runs away from family, rather than towards it,” Wilcox said in a press release, “The second lie is that father-present homes are of no great importance to our kids. Jason Kelce readily dispatched both of these lies in his retirement speech yesterday.”
Regarding the effects of fatherhood, Wilcox added that other data on family “also tell us that our boys and girls are much more likely to thrive in school and steer clear of trouble with the law if they grow up in father-present homes.”
“These findings dovetail with Kelce’s reflections on happiness and the power of fatherhood,” Wilcox said.
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