Donna Kelce Thinks Jason and Travis Will Still Be ‘Involved with Football’ in Retirement (Exclusive)

Retiring from the NFL doesn’t have to mean walking off the football field forever.

At least not for Travis and Jason Kelce, according to their mom, Donna, who tells PEOPLE exclusively that she “can’t believe they wouldn’t be involved in football in some way in the future because they love it so much.”

The favorite NFL mom of two shared her thoughts with PEOPLE about what her sons’ lives might look like when they retire from pro football amid rumors that Jason played his last game after his Philadelphia Eagles team was eliminated from the playoffs on Jan. 15.

“They love the people and they love the coaches,” Donna says of what Travis and Jason value about the sport they’ve been playing since childhood. “They just love the whole aspect of it,” she adds, noting the “very small community.”

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Donna Kelce attends Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in February 2023. Kevin Mazur/Getty for Roc Nation

Even though Jason is a center for the Eagles and Travis is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Donna says “they’re all very close, even on different teams.” This is just one more reason why she “believes” that her sons’ involvement in football “will be somewhat of a coincidence” in retirement.

Teams aside, Donna highlights their personalities. “I know them,” the proud mom begins to explain her “very determined” and “very focused” sons.

“Anything they want to do, I truly believe they could do. I’ve seen it time and time again,” Donna continues. “They’re just very tenacious, very, ‘I’ll go all the way.’ They just never give up. They just keep going.”

And although Donna says she has a “feeling that sports would be there somewhere if it could,” she points out that it’s “fun to see” that Jason is a parent too! “It’s so encouraging to see what he’s like as a father and a husband,” she says of her son, who shares three daughters with wife Kylie.

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Donna Kelce with Travis and Jason during the Super Bowl LVII opener in February 2023. Christian Petersen/Getty

That’s “so encouraging — unless they’re going to play,” he jokes, referring to Jason’s celebratory shirtless moment that went viral when he took it off during the Chiefs’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 21. “But it’s funny,” he adds. “He’s a crazy good boy” and an “absolutely” fun dad!

As Donna shared her thoughts on what her sons’ lives might look like after they retire from the NFL, Jason opened up about his New heights podcast on Jan. 17 about the retirement rumors that arose after the Eagles’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and elimination from the playoffs.

“I just don’t think you’re in a position after a game like that to really, you know, make a decision like that. You just don’t,” Jason said. “There’s too much emotion at this point. Too much is falling in the moment to fully understand that decision.”

“I’m not trying to be dramatic to keep dragging this thing out,” he added. “I really didn’t.”

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Jason, Donna and Travis Kelce. Dave Shopland/Shutterstock

And Travis tried to clear the air during a January 19 press conference. “It was known that he retired, and he didn’t really say any of that,” the Chiefs tight end told reporters.

“The end of that game, I think everybody felt for him, knowing that he thought about it a lot over the past few years. The documentary shows that. You don’t have to go around and ask anybody,” Travis continued.

“It was cool to see everyone appreciate who he was last week, but I think the big guy still has some football left if he wants to,” he added.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education