- Jason Kelsey said he wants to lose weight so he can play with his kids and be a better father.
- The former Philadelphia Eagles center told GQ that he’s lost “nearly 20 pounds” since retiring from the NFL in March.
- Kelsey said her back and knees are “feeling better” since she lost the weight, and she plans to lose another 20 pounds.
Jason Kelsey said he is focusing on losing weight for the sake of his children.
In an interview with GQ magazine published last Wednesday, the former Philadelphia Eagles center spoke about what keeps him healthy in retirement.
Kelce said he’s “down almost 20 pounds right now” since retiring from the NFL in March, and he has a goal of losing another 20 pounds.
“Honestly, I can’t imagine losing anywhere near another 20 pounds, but my back is better already. My knees are better already,” Kelsey told GQ. “So if I could lose another 20 pounds, I think I’d be able to play better with my kids.”
Kelsey has three daughters with his wife, Kylie Kelsey.
He said he weighed 295 pounds for most of his NFL career but now weighs 277 pounds.
“You don’t want to get too small. A lot of guys, especially offensive linemen, lose so much weight that their neck gets so skinny they look like a bobblehead, but their head stays the same size,” Kelce said.
He added that he feels he is best suited to weighing in the 250-260 pound range as it helps him maintain his physique.
“So for me, for some reason, I feel like at 250-260 pounds, even if I don’t have six-pack abs, I’m still big and I can be happy with the way I look,” he said.
Kelsey said he has suffered numerous injuries during his 13-year football career but won’t let them stop him from enjoying life.
“I’ve had two reconstructive surgeries on my right knee, surgery on my hand and groin. I’ve broken a toe. 13 years of playing in the NFL has worn me down, and there’s been a lot that went wrong,” Kelce said. “So I retire with some scars, but I get to play with my kids, virtually. Whether I played in the NFL or not, I’m still able to enjoy life to the fullest, which is a blessing.”
This isn’t the first time he has spoken about his desire to lose weight during retirement.
During an April episode of the “New Heights” podcast featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kelsey detailed her fitness goals.
“My goal is to lose two pounds each week. I want to lose weight but maintain muscle mass,” Kelsey said. “I’m monitoring my protein, carbs and fats to make sure I lose at least one pound for every pound of weight I gain.”
Schwarzenegger then gave Kelsey some advice: “The most important thing is to slowly lose body fat and gain muscle. Just switch it up. It’s not just about weight,” he said.
In a June 2023 interview with Sports Illustrated’s Eagles Today, Kelce said the NFL’s dietary restrictions weren’t as strict as he expected.
“I think you just have to be smart and figure out how to get the right amount of protein,” Kelsey said. “Once you figure that out, you don’t have to worry about it as much.”
He added that he eats whatever he wants.
“I can go to McDonald’s and eat what I can decide. I can go to Wawa and look at the menu and decide what I’m going to eat. I don’t have to eat bland brown rice and chicken breasts. If that’s what it takes to play in the NFL, I probably wouldn’t do it,” he said.
