Cincinnati is adding Jason Kelce to the James P. Kelly Hall of Fame, the school announced, giving one of its most decorated former players a spot in the school’s athletic history.
Kelce’s path from walk-on linebacker to NFL star is the kind of climb that sticks. After a long run at Cincinnati, he was taken in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and went on to play 13 years in the league, winning two Super Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Cleveland Heights, OH, native built a resume that made him one of the defining centers of his era. He was a six-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowler, and for years he was widely viewed as the best center in football, known for a physical, aggressive style and the kind of mobility that let him get downfield and wipe out lanes in the run game.
His Cincinnati story also includes a season alongside his brother, Travis. The two played together for the Bearcats in 2008 and 2009, both serving as key pieces of the roster. Their bond later turned into New Heights, the podcast they launched in 2022, and they brought that show to Fifth Third Arena for its first live event on Cincinnati’s campus in April 2024.
The Kelce brothers have continued to show up for Cincinnati ever since their NFL careers took off. They often wear Bearcats gear during podcast appearances, attend games when they can, and were both at Cincinnati’s week one game against Nebraska at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jason Kelce will be inducted into the UC Athletics Hall of Fame on October 23 at 7:30 pm in Fifth Third Arena, with the ceremony set for the night before the Bearcats host Texas Tech.
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