While publicly announced months ago, Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox's retirements were made official on Monday when the Philadelphia Eagles placed the two standouts on their reserve/retired list, according to the league transaction wire.
Kelce, a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro center, announced his retirement on March 4. A former sixth-round pick out of Cincinnati, Kelce played an integral role in the Eagles' first Super Bowl-winning team that defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Kelce, who will work for ESPN as an NFL analyst this fall, will surely receive strong consideration for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he is first eligible to appear on the ballot in 2029.
"Today I must admit -- I am officially overrated," Kelce said during his retirement press conference. "Vasty overrated. But f---, it took a lot of hard work and a lot of determination getting here.
"I have been the underdog my entire career, and I mean this while I say it, I wish I still was."
Cox, a six-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, who, like Kelce, was a significant contributor to the Eagles' 2017 Super Bowl win, announced his retirement via Instagram on March 10. He is fifth all time in franchise history in career sacks (70), sixth in forced fumbles (16),13th in fumble recoveries (14),15th in solo tackles (341) and is tied for first in fumble returns for touchdowns (three).
"I gave everything I had to this team and to this city," Cox wrote in his retirement post. "I don't know what's next for me, but I do know that I'm forever grateful for my time here in Philadelphia and with the Eagles' organization."
Both players spent their entire careers in Philadelphia. All told, Kelce and Cox appeared in a combined 405 games with the Eagles, including 399 starts. It's safe to say that the Eagles have their work cut out for them when it comes to replacing the impact that both players had on the franchise, both on and off the field.
