Donna Kelce is going to have to pull out the now-familiar jersey — one with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s front and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce’s back — one more time this season.
At least this time to see their children in person.
For the first time in Super Bowl history, a pair of siblings is playing on the NFL’s biggest stage. Kelce helped the Giants to their third championship game in four seasons on Sunday night (Monday NZT) when they beat the Bengals for the AFC title, while Jason has the Eagles to win the NFC title again in six years. 49ers.
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“You know there’s a cold mission?” Travis Kelce said. “My mom can lose.”
Or maybe he can’t win.
In fact, there have been many famous NFL siblings over the years, and many have had memorable matchups: Peyton v Eli Manning, Tiki v Ronde Barber. But he never reached the same Super Bowl, or in such a predicament he had to place his dear old mum, where the other lifted Lomphae at another cost.
“It’s going to be an amazing feeling to play against him,” added Travis, whose team has gotten the better of the Eagles’ big brother in the last three matchups.
Ed Zurga/AP
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce are the first two brothers to face off in Super Bowl history.
“We were all respected there in the Eagles organization. You won’t see me talking too much nonsense because of how much I love my brother. But it’s going to be an emotional game, for sure.
Jason Kelce was also ever-so-brief from the quarterback on Sunday night (Monday NZT), pulling on a Kansas City sweatshirt for about three hours between the end of the Eagles’ 31-7 drubbing of San Francisco and the end of his mini. the brothers beat Cincinnati 23-20.
“That’s the rest of the year,” Jason said with a laugh. “I made the Chiefs a fan.”
He will leave mum and dad.
While her husband, Ed, has kept it mostly private over the years, Donna has been a fixture as she crisscrosses the country to watch her boys. During last year’s wild card weekend, he started in Tampa Bay watching the Eagles against the Buccaneers, then flew to Kansas City just in time to watch the Chiefs scouts play at night.
He has now won both of his sons’ Super Bowls as well: the Eagles beat the Patriots in Minneapolis in 2018, and the Chiefs rallied to beat the 49ers in Miami two years later.
He hasn’t seen much lately, though. The way the playoff schedule worked out for the divisional round and the conference championship games, Donna was able to see both of her boys in attendance.
They certainly came a long way from a solid middle-class education in Cleveland, Ohio. Jason blazed a trail as a star offensive lineman who earned a letter from Cincinnati, and Travis soon followed suit. Both caught the eye of an NFL scout during their college careers, and one coach in particular: Andy Reid.
It was the Big Red who, while coaching the Eagles, used a sixth round pick on Jason in the 2011 draft. Two years later, after Reid had gotten a fresh start in Kansas City, the Chiefs used a third-round pick to bring Travis into the fold.
“Big brother probably kept Travis from doing crazy things. He probably talked him down the stairs in a rake of leaves once or twice,” Reid said Monday. “Listen, they’re both very competitive and compassionate at heart, that’s the most important thing. They care and they care about people and they care about hunting.”
Brynn Anderson/AP
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates his touchdown reception against the Bengals.
It is also very convenient.
Jason has been to six Pro Bowls and just five All-Pro votes, and has emerged as one of the best corners in Eagles history. Travis has been to eight Pro Bowls, made just the fourth All-Pro team and is second in NFL history to Jerry Rice in playoff catches, yards and touchdowns.
It’s just a matter of time.
The brothers have a new podcast called “New Castles with Jason & Travis Kelce” that takes listeners on an exciting and real-time ride through the NFL season. The weekly shows are recorded on Tuesdays and last between 60 and 90 minutes. NFL stars playing with each other as if they were down on the mom’s base.
Special guests included Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and quarterback Patrick Mahmes.
“They have a good network there, and a good relationship,” Reid said. “I think Travis has grown a lot. Jason probably came a little bit older — Travis was a little bit immature. But he’s really grown into a good man.”
“I’ve invested time in both of these two,” added Reid, “so I feel part of the family.”