Jason Kelce swaps NFL for Hackney rugby cameo
Super Bowl champion Jason Kelce has swapped a helmet and pads for muddy boots, turning out in a rugby friendly in east London.
The 38-year-old played for Old Streetonians against local rivals Hackney RFC in a 30-minute friendly training match at Hackney Marshes, BBC Sport reported.
It lasted half an hour. It was full contact. And it was a world away from his day job.
Kelce spent 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL, the American code played with helmets, pads and forward passes. He won the Super Bowl — the league’s championship game — with Philadelphia in 2018 and earned seven Pro Bowl selections before retiring in 2024. The Pro Bowl is the NFL’s all-star honour, voted on by players, coaches and fans. He is also the older brother of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, a pass-catching scorer who has become a household name well beyond American football.
He did not go it alone in London. Former Philadelphia team-mate Beau Allen joined him at Hackney Marshes. Allen, a defensive lineman built for close-quarters collisions, was also part of that 2018 Super Bowl-winning side.
Before kick-off, Kelce took a crash course from Joe Marler. Marler is the former Harlequins and England prop, the stocky front-row forward who anchors the scrum. The scrum is rugby’s packed shove for the ball after a minor infringement. In rugby union, unlike the NFL, there are no blockers ahead of the ball carrier, no helmets, and the ball can only be passed backwards.
The visit is part work, part play. Kelce is in England to try different sports for his YouTube channel, where he is learning new games from scratch. He is also here to commentate on the NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That game kicks off at 14:30 BST on Sunday, BBC Sport reported.
For fans, this means a joyful experiment rather than a second career. Rugby rewards the same appetite for contact that made Kelce an Eagles favourite, but the fitness is different. Play rarely stops. Tackles come thick and fast. Fatigue bites quickly, even in 30 minutes.
