Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is preparing for a season without football, marking the first fall since childhood when the 36-year-old will not be a football player.
Instead, he'll continue his podcast career, work on-air with ESPN's “Monday Night Football,” and spend a fair amount of time at Buffalo Wild Wings on game days. Recently, in partnership with the fast-food chain, Kelsey created his own menu item called “Kelsey's Pick.”
Kelsey cited the triple bacon cheeseburger and 10 traditional wings with buffalo bacon sauce as his favorite game day dishes this year.
According to former Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers nutritionist Leslie Bonci, this combination is not a meal plan for a 36-year-old hoping to play in the NFL.
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NFL nutritionist Leslie Bonci speaks about making good nutrition decisions with student-athletes in mind during the 2009 NCAA Convention at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Getty Images. (Photo by Steven Nowland/NCAA via Getty Images)
“I definitely wouldn't recommend eating this kind of meal before a match, it's not enough carbs and it's too much fat, it can cause digestive upset, and even after the match it's not the best for recovery,” Bonci told Fox News Digital.
“Eating this way once a week shouldn't have a major impact on an active person, but the portions may seem too much. It's a heavy, high-calorie meal and is very high in salt, which may increase thirst.”
According to the Buffalo Wild Wings nutrition guide, the two items combined have 2,370 calories, 211 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of trans fat, 590 milligrams of cholesterol, 4,670 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of sugar and 172 grams of protein.
Bonci, a four-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs and Steelers, believes consuming these foods could hinder an aging offensive lineman's ability to play.
“Obviously, my offensive linemen aren't small, but they have to move quickly during the game, which means their muscles have to be fueled, not fooled,” Bonci said.
However, Bonci did not rule out the possibility that Kelce could return to the NFL if he follows a proper diet.
“He's a trained athlete and if he decides to play again, he knows what to do to prepare himself to play. It's not an individual meal that's the deciding factor, it's a pattern,” she said.
Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce eats an ice cream cone as he arrives for a game against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field on Aug. 17, 2023 in Philadelphia. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Kelce said he would only consider returning to the NFL if a cure for his arthritis was found.
“My playing career is over. Unless medical science finds a cure for arthritis, I can't see a scenario in which I would consider coming back,” he recently told The Associated Press.
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Kelce suggested on a podcast in March that he regretted retiring after last season after the Eagles signed Saquon Barkley in free agency.
“I couldn't be more bullish on that. … Here's what I regret,” Kelce said. “When I retired, I knew I didn't have a great season with the Philadelphia Eagles. It's a real shame. I would love to have been a part of that team.”
However, Kelsey insists she will remain retired.
Despite the decadence of “Kelce's Picks,” the former Pro Bowl player said he lost weight after retirement, following a pattern many former offensive linemen experience after retirement.
In a June 26 interview with GQ, the former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman said he's “lost almost 20 pounds” and has a goal of losing another 20. Kelce said he weighed 295 pounds during his playing days.
Former NFL player Jason Kelce waves to fans on the 18th hole during the 2024 American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on July 14, 2024 in Stateline, Nevada. (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
“Honestly, I can't imagine losing almost another 20 pounds,” Kelsey says, “but my back is already better. My knees are already better.”
If Kelce continues to lose weight, it could add another obstacle to his already unlikely return to the NFL. The offensive line position relies heavily on players maintaining a consistent playing weight, but also on a larger frame that requires muscle density, agility and speed. That's why many former players cut back on high-calorie diets to lose weight after retirement.
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Another former offensive lineman who lost weight rapidly after retiring is Russell Okung, who said in a June 2023 post on X that he lost more than 100 pounds by “water fasting.”
“Many retired athletes say they had to take in extra calories to maintain their weight during their playing days. After retirement, that's not an issue for athletes who want to get back to a more normal weight,” Bonci said.
Bonci, who worked with Jason's brother, Travis, for the Chiefs from 2015 until January 2024, said his best advice for retired offensive linemen like Kelce is to focus on eating more vegetables and avoid sports drinks and alcohol.
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