Sports

Ari & Isaac’s Super Sporty Spotlight: Jason Kelce

Ari Shemesh and Isaac Shrader

March 1, 2024

USA Today Sports

On Jan. 15, 2023, the Philadelphia Eagles lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Tampa Buccaneers, which brought a tragic end to their season that had the potential of returning to the Super Bowl for the second straight year. Shortly after the loss, questions began to circulate about the future of Jason Kelce, the Eagles long-time star center, and whether or not he would be retiring from football. These rumors were supported by Kelce’s comments on his potential retirement after the end of the NFL season, as well as the fact that he considered retirement last season. This hit Eagles fans, and football fans in general, hard, as Kelce is known to be one of the consistently best centers in the league, as well as kind-hearted, genuine guy who has dedicated his life to the Eagles and the city of Philadelphia, and the entire game of football as a whole, for more than a decade. Regardless of whether or not he will retire this season, we found it prudent to highlight his legendary career, as a way to show our appreciation for the league’s favorite Kelce (Sorry Travis!).

Kelce has had one of the most impressive careers the offensive lineman position has ever seen. In his 13 seasons with the Eagles, he made the pro-bowl seven times, including a five year streak between 2019 and 2023, and was named the NFL’s first team all pro six times within a seven year span. This is difficult for any player, let alone a player with a position that is as physical as an offensive lineman. In 2014, Kelce was forced to sit out for one game due to a sports hernia injury. However, since that game, Kelce has played in every game since. Additionally, in every game that Kelce has played throughout his career, he did so on the starting lineup. Many of Kelce’s teammates have stated that this is the result of the focus that Kelce puts towards maintaining his body throughout his career. The greatest of all of Kelce’s achievements is the championship he won against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Kelce and the Eagles did manage to make it back into the Super Bowl in 2023, but were beaten by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

While his success on the field has been unprecedented, Kelce is also known for his large contributions off the field. A dedicated Philadelphian, Jason Kelce founded the (Be)Philly Foundation, which provides financial support and recognition to organizations that improve the education of students in the Philadelphia public schools, particularly students in underserved communities, in order for them to become more financially successful. Kelce has stated that he believes the future of the city lies in the hands of the youth, and he is seeking to actively promote investment in them. In addition to his non-profit organization, Jason Kelce is a large advocate for autism awareness, as well as the Eagles Autism Foundation. Kelce has done many things to promote and raise money for autism awareness, including celebrity bartending and running a 5K. Kelce has undeniably had a large impact on the city of Philadelphia, and the world as a whole, he will likely continue his charitable work long after his NFL career is over.

Jason Kelce will always be known as one of the league’s best players, as well as one of its players with the most upstanding of characters. Jason Kelce’s work on and off the field as a leader, hard-worker, and generous donator will forever serve as an inspiration to players and fans alike, encouraging them to always try their best and help those around them. Although, one day, it will be difficult not seeing him run out onto the field on Eagle’s Opening Day with the rest of the team, we will take comfort in knowing and appreciating the great impact he had on the league, and the impact he will continue to have in the day-to-day lives of countless individuals.

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About the Contributors

Ari Shemesh, Reporter

Ari Shemesh, a senior at Adams, is excited to be back for his second year as a member of The Tower, and is eager to finally get back on the reporting grind. This year, Ari is hoping to spend more quality time with his friend David Nagy, amongst others (Isaac Shrader), while continuing to write for The Tower and learn valuable writing and reporting skills While his mornings are spent being an incredibly successful reporter, , Ari is starting his fourth year on the John Adams tennis team, where he dominates every afternoon. When given time to chill, Ari likes to play video games, watch movies, and watch or play sports with his family and friends. Furthermore, Ari enjoys spending his summers at an overnight camp, where this past summer break, he cleaned toilets and dishes for two months. Ari’s favorite classes in school are history and English; He is also a member of NHS, and spends time volunteering at the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley. Ari is very excited to start his final year as a reporter and a student at Adams. His one request this year is that you guys help him finish the year with more reads than Isaac Shrader.

Isaac Shrader, Reporter

Isaac Shrader, a senior at Adams, is in his second year as a sports reporter for the Tower and is ready to get back in on the action. Since a young age, Isaac has always had a passion for creating stories. He initially joined The Tower to explore new types of writing, as well as learn more about the world through a journalistic lens. Isaac values honesty and creativity in what he writes and hopes to grab the attention of a diverse group of readers through his articles, while also providing accurate, engaging information, particularly about sports. In addition to writing for the Tower, Isaac is captain of the John Adams Men’s Swim Team (which you should join if you want to be involved in the universally agreed upon best sport at John Adams High School) and a member of the National Honors Society. Isaac enjoys attending various sporting events at Adams, along with the fun sports culture that comes with it. Writing for The Tower has been a very rewarding experience for Isaac and he hopes to continue providing accurate news to the John Adams School Community. Isaac encourages Adams students to read The Tower because of the accurate, engaging information it provides. He hopes that students go to the sports page, where they will likely be able to read one of his articles. If you ever stumble across Isaac outside of school, he’ll likely be doing some of his favorite things such as listening to music, writing, hiking, watching sports, or spending time with friends and family. Isaac hopes to be able to share his creativity and knowledge with those who take the time to read his articles and asks that you help him have more reads this year than his fellow reporter, Ari Shemesh.