During his NFL retirement speech, Jason Kelce conveyed a nuanced but meaningful tribute to his longtime athletic trainer.
On March 4, Kelce formally bid farewell to his 13-year NFL career as the center for the Philadelphia Eagles in a poignant speech. Notably, during the announcement, observers noticed that tape adorned Kelce's ankles beneath the table.
Taking to his Instagram, Eagles associate athletic trainer Joe O’Pella shed light on the reason behind Kelce's unconventional choice of wearing tape during his retirement announcement—a practice usually associated with time spent on the field.
O’Pella's Instagram post comprised eight photos showcasing his journey with Kelce over the years.
The athletic trainer shared that the practice of taping Kelce's ankles became a routine, initiated after the footballer suffered a knee injury in his second year in the NFL. O’Pella further revealed that his recent cancer diagnosis had necessitated radiation and chemotherapy treatments, preventing him from taping Kelce's ankles for his final game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Expressing regret for not being able to be the last person to tape Kelce, O’Pella recounted that Kelce, in his characteristically generous manner, offered to have him tape for the retirement press conference. "That's who he is," the caption continued, adding, "And I hope these stories can add to an already unbelievable legacy."
Kelce elaborated on the significance of the gesture and his close bond with O’Pella during the March 6 episode of his podcast, "New Heights," which he co-hosts with his brother, Travis Kelce.
Reflecting on O’Pella's presence throughout his entire career, Kelce mentioned that the trainer is currently in remission.
"He's looking good," Kelce added. However, due to O’Pella's health challenges, he couldn't tape Kelce for any games in the past year. In a touching tribute, Kelce shared that O’Pella taped his ankles one last time for the retirement press conference. Kelce humorously added, "So I had ankle tape on with sandals."