One of, if not, the greatest center of all time could have been on the Chiefs roster when drafted in 2011.
Jason Kelce announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 loyal years to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 36-year-old amassed six First-team All-Pro titles and earned seven Pro Bowl selections during his stellar career.
Andy Reid drafts Jason Kelce to the Eagles in 2011
In 2011, the eventual round-six pick was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Andy Reid, when the Eagles head coach, selected Kelce with the 191st overall pick.
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However, the relationship did not last long as the Pennsylvanian-based team cut ties with Reid in 2013.
The 66-year-old joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013 after being stolen from the Arizona Cardinals job.
Kelce reveals the Kansas City Chiefs showed strong interest in drafting him
In 2023, during the NFL Draft build-up, Jason Kelce stated: “Kansas City and the Philadelphia Eagles were the two teams that showed the most interest.”
There was a realistic chance that the Chiefs could have drafted Jason Kelce to bolster their offensive line.
Brett Veach, the current general manager of the Chiefs, was an Eagles scout under Andy Reid and would have advised to draft Kelce.
As the Chiefs decided against drafting the center he landed in Philadelphia.
Nonetheless, if the front office before Andy Reid selected the future Hall of Famer, they could have united two seasons later.
Jason and Travis Kelce could have been on the Chiefs roster by 2013
Reid drafted Travis Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
The brothers could have reunited on the same franchise and Andy Reid would have had his center as part of one the most successful dynasties in history.
Imagine, the greatest center of all time, the greatest tight end of all time, and a quarterback who is on the trajectory of becoming the greatest of all time, all on one offense.
Furthermore, if the Chiefs had decided to draft Kelce in 2011, this would have been the outcome.
Yet, they decided not to and let Jason Kelce join the Eagles where he had an exceptional individual career.
Howie Roseman: Eagles filled needs in free agency so we can draft for talent, not need
Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman views free agency as the time to address team needs, and the draft as the time to add the most talented players regardless of whether they play a position of need.
Roseman said the Eagles tried to sign the players they thought they needed in free agency — including running back Saquon Barkley, pass rusher Bryce Huff, defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, guard Matt Hennessy and inside linebackers Zack Baun and Devin White — so that the draft can be about acquiring talent.
“What we try to do to the best of our abilities is go into the draft trying to fill as many needs as we possibly can through free agency, so we can be open to the best players in the draft,” Roseman said.
That’s been the Eagles’ longstanding approach, and it’s been quite successful during Roseman’s tenure in Philadelphia. The players the Eagles draft next week will be the players they think have the best chance at long-term success, even if they’re not intended to start as rookies.
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