Jason Kelce Trades Eagles Uniform for Rugby Pitch in London

Former Philadelphia Eagles center and Super Bowl champion Jason Kelce recently surprised amateur rugby players in London by participating in a friendly match. Kelce, who retired from the NFL in March 2024 after 13 seasons, was in England to prepare for commentating on an NFL game between his former team and the Jacksonville Jaguars. His appearance in the rugby match was part of a project for his YouTube channel, where he has been exploring different sports.

Kelce, the older brother of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, trained with former Harlequins and England prop Joe Marler prior to the match. He was joined on the pitch by former Eagles teammate Beau Allen, who was also part of the Eagles' 2018 Super Bowl-winning team.

The friendly game took place between local rivals Old Streetonians and Hackney RFC. Hackney players initially had no idea they would be facing a former NFL star. "We got a message from our club captain saying our local rivals were coming down with two ex-NFL players, but we didn't know anything else about it," said Hackney prop Dave Lewis. "We got there. At the very start, he sort of went round the back of a ruck and picked the ball up, which he obviously was then penalised for."

Lewis recounted a moment where he tackled Kelce, stating, "I handed him off at one point and put him on his back in front of his team-mates and all of our fans as well." However, Lewis also noted Kelce's physicality, adding, "He just got back up and absolutely smashed me later on when he had the ball, running through me."

Hackney full-back Peter Scott described Kelce as an "intimidating figure" with "very broad shoulders, powerful legs." Scott observed that while Kelce was still learning rugby's nuances, such as scrum positioning, he adapted quickly. "He didn't look out of place at all," Scott said. "In rugby you are taught to tackle at an angle, and go at people's shoulders. He was a lot more front on, like 'OK, route one, I'm just gonna go straight at anyone that came out'."

After the game, Kelce and Allen reportedly joined the Old Streetonians players at a local pub. "They were very good value in the pub afterwards," said Old Street chairman Will Gillgrass. "We took them to one of our locals, and they put their cards behind the bar, chatting with the lads for a few hours after the game and really getting involved. They even did our initiation, singing a song and downing a pint."

Kelce's American film crew interviewed some of the Hackney players about his performance. Scott noted Kelce's exceptional leg drive after tackles, describing his power as "sensational." He contrasted American football's focus on "short, sharp, explosive power" with rugby's sustained physicality.