Jason Kelce Let Eagles Trainer Tape Him for Retirement Speech; Missed His Final Game
March 6, 2024
If it was possible for Jason Kelce's Q rating to get any higher, he found a way to do it without actually publicizing it.
Philadelphia Eagles athletic trainer Joe O'Pella revealed on Instagram that Kelce offered to let him tape his ankles for his retirement announcement on Monday because O'Pella wasn't able to be at the team's final game while undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer during the 2023 season.
Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdateRespect: Jason Kelce had the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eagles?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eagles</a>' athletic trainer of 13 years tape him before his retirement announcement because he couldn't be there for Kelce's last game due to undergoing chemotherapy...<br><br>This is tremendous. Wow. <br><br>(via Joe O'Pella/IG) <a href="https://t.co/nQ30rFatT2">pic.twitter.com/nQ30rFatT2</a>
It's worth pointing out Kelce didn't force O'Pella to tape him up. The trainer expressed his "regret of not being the last person to ever tape" Kelce, and the future Hall of Famer made the offer to do it for the retirement press conference.
O'Pella started his career with the Eagles as a training intern in 2008. He worked his way up to be an assistant athletic trainer before being promoted to associated athletic trainer in 2018.
In a video released by the Eagles after Kelce's press conference wrapped up, a close look shows that his ankles have tape on them like they would if he were getting ready to play a game.
Kelce's entire playing career overlapped with O'Pella's tenure with the Eagles. The O-lineman was a sixth-round draft pick in 2011 and started every game he played with the franchise for 13 seasons.
