It was the year of the Kelces in 2023. From Super Bowl rivalries to best-selling albums, the brothers have been the talk of the town, and for good reason.
Despite his brother's recent worldwide stardom, Jason Kelce has still captured the hearts and souls of fans thanks to the humorous side he shows on the New Heights podcast. His jersey was even the fifth-best seller in the NFL in November, four spots ahead of the guy on the Chiefs.
For fans who own the Birds' No. 62, there may be a few questions about it. What does it mean to Kelce? Why that number?
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The Sporting News is here to explain why Kelce prides himself with his jersey number.
What number is Jason Kelce?
When he played his rookie season in 2011, Kelce was given jersey No. 62.
He never wore a consistent jersey throughout his career. He was No. 60 at Cincinnati and No. 48 in high school. When his brother, Travis, was drafted to the Chiefs two years later, he chose No. 87 for the year Jason was born. Unfortunately for the offensive lineman, he couldn't return that favor and wear No. 89 due to NFL rules that limit jersey numbers for positions.
"If there is a Kelce legacy, it started in 1987."
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) February 6, 2023
Travis' number on his back represents the love both brothers have for each other. ❤️️ pic.twitter.com/yZuRJSUhUl
So while Kelce had no attachment to No. 62, he wore it with pride almost immediately.
"The significance of No. 62 is that when I made it to the NFL this is the number that was given to me and I am honored to wear it. Growing up I kind of liked the No. 13 for the sports that I played. But I had a football coach in middle school that once said to me, 'The player makes the number, not the other way around.' Since then, I've taken the number that was handed to me. I have an identity with 62 and I'm going to have that forever," he said.
The brothers, two years apart, played together at Cleveland Heights and Cincinnati. It nearly came crashing down in 2010 when Travis tested positive for marijuana and was suspended. During that time, Jason took in his younger brother and later helped him get reinstated with the Bearcats after asking the coaching staff to give him a second chance.
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"I’m forever in debt to this guy for putting his name, our name, putting his honor on the line to get me another chance. When I say I owe it all to him, I really do," Travis said.
The Kelce brothers have earned 12 All-Pro selections combined since playing in the NFL. They both earned first-team honors in 2022 and have won at least one Super Bowl ring a piece, Jason's coming in 2018.
