Is Philip Rivers the first grandfather to actively play in the NFL? No, but he is the second.
After once-retired NFL quarterback Philip Rivers returned to the field to play under center once more with the Indianapolis Colts, a very specific conversation began to take hold of the sports world.
“What other retired players should return to the field to give it one more go-around?”
A name that has popped up several times was Jason Kelce's, former center for the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that has been struggling this season.
During the December 17 episode of their podcast, Jason’s brother, Travis Kelce, who is still an active player in the NFL, brought the question straight to the source.
While recording the newest New Heights podcast episode, Travis asked Jason, “What other retired player should get back out there?” along with a face that suggested to Jason he was talking about him.
“I was thinking about this,” Jason admitted. “Who else?”
“I mean, I know a guy still trying to prove his athleticism and trying to dunk,” Travis interrupted, again pointing the finger at Jason.
“Travis, I can't bend my elbow right now,” Jason explained, clearly not interested in coming out of retirement. “I got a loose body. This is, I can't even touch my head right now because I got a loose body stuck in my elbow joint.”
After encouraging Jason to get surgery to “clean out” the loose cartridge in his elbow joint, Jason admitted he is “trying to avoid surgery.”
“Usually, I can find it and then, like, push it out of the joint and that. And it goes back to being fine. I can't do it right now. It's, like, stuck somewhere. I don't know if it's in the back or in the front, but it isn't leaving,” Jason continued.
In one last effort, Travis then told Jason to get an MRI before the dad of four put the final nail in the coffin, plainly saying, “It’s not going to be me.”
This conversation comes after Jason publicly offered some brotherly advice following the Kansas City Chiefs 16 to 13 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers, which saw Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes go down with a torn ACL.
The loss also solidified that for the first time in 10 season, the Chiefs will not be playoff eligible.
"In my opinion, to nail that decision, you gotta step away from the game for a little bit," Jason told his ESPN colleagues during Monday Night Football when it comes to the advice he would get Travis. “Play these last three games, enjoy 'em with your teammates, enjoy 'em with your coaches. The team is going to be different whether or not you come back next year. Then play these three games and then let it sink in. It'll come to you with time.”
"There are so many emotions with this game right after a season, especially with the way this one's been. ... And right now, it's just too fresh. You gotta step away from it, you gotta think about it, and then it'll come to you."
