For the last 12 years, Jason Kelce has been a fixture on the Philadelphia Eagles‘ offensive line.
The center has made six Pro Bowls and five All-Pro first-teams, and he has been to the Super Bowl twice while winning it all following the 2017 season.
On Friday, he got to experience playoff action of a different kind, as he rang a replica of the Liberty Bell prior to Game 3 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics.
Jason Kelce ringing the bell before Game 3 in Philly 👀 (via @JClarkNBCS)pic.twitter.com/BvhzJm3jok
— NFL (@NFL) May 6, 2023
Philly is the birthplace of American democracy, and the Liberty Bell has long been considered a symbol of the nation and its victory over the British in the Revolutionary War.
In recent years, the Sixers have made an image of the bell one of their symbols, and ringing the bell has become a tradition before home games.
They’re hoping to become the third team in the Delaware Valley area to play for the world championship of a major North American sport in recent months.
The Philadelphia Phillies lost the World Series to the Houston Astros in October, and of course, the Eagles suffered a painful loss in the Super Bowl a few months ago to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
It also meant that Kelce had to watch his younger brother, tight end Travis Kelce, celebrate his second Super Bowl championship in the last four seasons.
The Eagles lost Pro Bowl running back Miles Sanders and star defensive tackle Javon Hargrave this offseason, but they should still be very much in the mix for another Vince Lombardi Trophy next season.
