Jason Kelce Loses First Super Bowl Matchup Between Brothers

GLENDALE, Ariz. – One Kelce was going to lose in Super Bowl LVII.

It turned out to be Jason, the Eagles' center.

Jason’s younger brother, Travis, raised the Lombardi Trophy with his Kansas City Chiefs teammates after Sunday’s 38-35 win.

“I’m just happy for him, you know, congratulations,” said Jason. “It’s hard to get here. I haven’t quite let the emotion get to me yet. I’m sure we’ll have a more emotional interaction. You know, really, really happy for Trav. He played his ass off. That team deserves everything they had coming to them.

“They’ve earned it. I’ve got a lot of respect for everybody in that organization. There’s a lot of people in that organization that gave me my start in this league, including the head coach Andy Reid, so obviously would’ve liked to win but I’m happy for Trav for sure.”

The Kelces were the first brothers to play against each other in Super Bowl history.

Jason said that he wasn’t sure how he would feel long-term over this setback to his brother, who now has one more Super Bowl championship on his resume.

“This my first time losing a Super Bowl,” said Jason, who will now wrestle with the retirement decision. “You know right now I’m just thinking about the plays that I wish I had back, as I’m sure everybody else is. But, you know, that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Travis had six catches for 81 yards and an 18-yard, first-quarter touchdown.

His celebration felt different, perhaps more muted, this time around than it did in 2019 when the Chiefs beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

“There’s nothing you can really say to a loved one in a situation like that,” said Travis. “You joke around all the time and say you want to beat your brother on the biggest stage, but it’s a weird feeling.

“That team had great leadership, great coaches, and it came down to the end. We have all the respect in the world for those Eagles. There’s nothing I can say to him other than I love him, and he played a hell of a year, a hell of a season.”

The two brothers have always been close, but got even closer this season with a weekly podcast they host together.

“I’ve talked to my brother more this year than I’ve talked to him since college probably,” said Jason. “He’s an incredible person, and it’s been truly a joy - probably one of my most enjoyable seasons, both as an Eagle and as a brother. Really, really happy for him.

“It’s been awesome to talk to him every week, laugh with him every week. I look forward to doing that in the offseason. Going to be an awkward podcast for me, this next one, but you can’t win them all.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.