Jason Kelce’s NFL journey did not begin with the promise of becoming a star. When he joined the University of Cincinnati, he was a walk-on linebacker with no major expectations surrounding him. He had to earn his place, prove himself and find a way to keep moving forward.But one coach noticed something in him that Kelce had never considered. Strength coach Paul Longo suggested that he try playing center. It sounded like an unlikely move at the time, but it eventually changed the direction of his career. Years later, during his emotional retirement speech, Kelce made sure to remember the coach who helped him find his place in football.
Paul Longo saw potential in Jason Kelce before he became a center
During his March 4, 2024, retirement speech at the Eagles’ NovaCare Complex, Kelce looked back at his early days at Cincinnati.“From Cleveland Heights, I entered the University of Cincinnati as a walk-on. As a linebacker, I had no idea what to expect,” he recalled.He also explained how little support or recognition he had when he arrived.“I had no stars, no investment from the team or the coaches. I’d have to earn everything.”Then came a suggestion that changed his career. Kelce remembered Longo approaching him during winter workouts.“Two weeks into winter workouts, Paul whispered to me in the middle of warmups, ‘You’d make a great center,’” he said.Kelce did not immediately accept the idea. Playing on the offensive line was nowhere in his plans.“I shrugged it off. Offensive line? Never in a million years did I think I’d play that position,” he recalled.Longo, however, saw an opportunity. He moved Kelce to the offensive line that spring, giving him a chance to develop in a completely different role.Looking back, Kelce did not hide how much that decision meant to him.“Paul moved me to offensive line that spring, and it ended up being the single greatest move that ever happened to me as a football player,” he said.Longo also had a different approach to coaching. Kelce remembered his motto as, “Work smarter, not harder.” He focused on helping players become stronger, faster and more explosive instead of simply pushing them through exhausting workouts.
Jason Kelce’s retirement speech carried a special message for his coach
The most emotional part of Kelce’s speech came when he spoke about the people who had supported him throughout his life.“I am lucky. My whole life, I have been surrounded by people that have believed in me – my father, my mother, my brother, Paul Longo, Howard Mudd,” he said.It was a meaningful mention. Longo had entered his story when Kelce was still trying to establish himself as a college football player. He saw a future in him that the young linebacker could not picture for himself.Kelce’s words also showed that he had not forgotten the people who helped him along the way. His career brought him plenty of recognition, but he still made room in his final speech to acknowledge those who had backed him before the NFL spotlight arrived.The position change eventually helped him build a remarkable career. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Kelce in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He spent 13 seasons with the franchise, earned seven Pro Bowl selections and six first-team All-Pro honours, and helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LII.He also became one of the most respected centers of his generation.Yet, when Kelce looked back at the journey during his retirement speech, he did not only talk about the awards or the Super Bowl victory. He remembered the people who believed in him when he was still finding his way.For Longo, that quiet suggestion during a college workout became part of a much bigger story. And for Kelce, the coach who saw a center in a linebacker remained someone worth thanking years after their time together at Cincinnati.