Pat McAfee heaps praise on Jason Kelce ahead of his retirement as he admits the Eagles star signing off in tears after Bucs defeat was a sad end: ‘That’s not how we wanna see any of our greats go out’

Pat McAfee has paid tribute to Jason Kelce as the Eagles veteran prepares to call time on his iconic career, while admitting his bittersweet farewell on Monday night was a sad way to go out.

Kelce reportedly told his Philadelphia teammates that he is retiring from football in the locker room after their 32-9 playoff defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bringing an end to his 13-year stint both with the franchise and in the NFL.

As the last few seconds of his final game ticked away in Tampa, the 36-year-old looked visibly emotional on the sidelines as he fought back the tears, all but confirming his playing days are now over.

On Tuesday’s edition of his ESPN sports talk show, McAfee hailed Kelce as a ‘cerebral, intelligent human being’ and stressed that Monday’s defeat to the Bucs was no way for an NFL legend to go out.

‘I wonder when he knew this year was gonna be it,’ the former Indianapolis Colts star said. ‘Because allegedly after the game he told his teammates that he was gonna ride off.

‘Is that an emotional decision? I would assume not because seemingly we know a lot about Jason Kelce, a very cerebral, intelligent human being, has probably thought about this for a while.

‘But that’s not how we wanna see any of our greats go out. That’s now how the NFL wants to see any of them [go out]. Everybody hopes to have the Ray Lewis, Jerome Bettis Super Bowl storybook ending. Very rare is that the case.

So Jason Kelce we appreciate you pal. Thank you Jason Kelce.’

Kelce bows out as a Super Bowl winner, six-time All-Pro and future Hall-of-Fame inductee after his iconic spell in Philadelphia, where he spent the entirety of his NFL career.

He had hinted at retirement heading into Monday’s Wild Card Round game, refusing to rule out the possibility that it could be his last in football.

‘Whenever you’re older in your career, you never know when that’s gonna be,’ Jason said over the weekend when quizzed on his future.

‘I try to remind guys that I’ve done this, and my dad’s told me this from the moment I started playing football: You step off the curb one day and that could be the end of your career.

‘So you try and approach every game with that mindset. But obviously, the closer and the older you get to that being a realization puts it out in front maybe a little bit more.

‘But obviously that’s not the main thing. The main thing is, you know, going out there and battling with each of the guys in this locker room.

‘No matter how many more years I play or any of us play, this team right now only has one game left and that’s what we’re really focused on.’