Should Jacksoville Jaguars arrange a reunion between Doug Pederson and Jason Kelce?

The Philadelphia Eagles were one-and-done in the playoffs, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Wild Card Weekend. Following the loss, all eyes were on Jason Kelce, who left the locker room in tears. This makes sense when you take into account that it might've been the last NFL game he ever played. However, Kelce is asking everyone not to rush to conclusions as he hasn't announced a decision yet. If that's the case, should the Jacksonville Jaguars get on the phone with him?

Following the loss to the Buccaneers, reports surfaced that Kelce had told teammates that he planned on retiring. But he said on his podcast Wednesday that he hasn't made a decision yet, and when he does, you'll hear from him.

"I didn't announce what I was doing on purpose despite what's been leaked to the media," Kelce told his brother Travis on his podcast New Heights. "I just don't think you're in a position after a game like that to make a decision. There's too much emotion at the moment to fully grasp that decision. I'm not trying to be dramatic and continue to draw this thing out. I'm really not."

"When it's time to officially announce what's happening in the future, it will be done in a way that's definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me and has led to the career I had. I don't think it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right after a game like that," Kelce said.

While Kelce might've chosen to wait to make an announcement, it looks like he's already made up his mind and is ready to hang up the cleats. If that's the case, that would be the end of an illustrious career that included seven Pro Bowl selections, six All-Pro nods, and a Super Bowl ring. But if he changes his mind, the Jaguars could be a potential landing spot for him, albeit an unlikely one, for a couple reasons.

Why Jason Kelce to the Jacksonville Jaguars won't probably happen

Jason Kelce was leaning toward retiring last offseason but opted to ink a one-year deal after making the Super Bowl in 2022. If he still has the itch to play, he would most likely want to return to the Eagles. In fact, that may be the only team he would be interested to suit up for given that he spent his whole career in Philly. But if he wanted to play somewhere else, he could reunite with head coach Doug Pederson in Jacksonville, the biggest reason the Jaguars would be a landing spot for him.

Pederson was Kelce's coach from 2016-2020, and the Jags happen to have a need at center, with Luke Fortner regressing last season. Kelce would immediately give the position a boost, as he's still going strong at 36. That said, his signing may not be universally embraced by fans. A couple years ago, Kelce talked down Jaguars fans, saying that they didn't care.

The truth is that his comments were off-base. Fans of the Jaguars do care, and if he donned the Black and Teal, he would see how passionate they are. Just like fans from Philadelphia, they're invested in their team and want to see them win.

In the end, though, it looks like Kelce has already made up his mind, and the only reason he postponed the announcement, is that he wants to do it when he's collected. On the chance he does decide to continue playing, he would give the Jacksonville Jaguars an alternative at center.

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