PHILADELPHIA — Jason Kelce stood on the sideline in tears as the final seconds ticked off in his likely final NFL game. Kelce embraced his long-time offensive line coach. He removed his helmet once the game ended — a Philadelphia Eagles loss that completed a harrowing season-ending collapse — and extended his hand to his wife and his father in the stands.
What Kelce knew then — what the gregarious center couldn’t bring himself to say when he declined to speak to the media in the aftermath of the defeat — was his football career was done.