Jason Kelce’s professional football career is over. His podcast career is thriving. And maybe, just maybe, his professional wrestling career is beginning.
WWE’s biggest annual event is WrestleMania, and this weekend, WrestleMania XL takes place over two nights at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Many fans expected the event to feature a Philadelphia sports flavor (reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid is a big WWE fan).
Fans got that flavor in the third game of night one Saturday, as Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson were part of the show and helped decide the outcome of a game. The two offensive linemen were instrumental in the outcome of a tag team match pitting WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio and his partner Andrade against Santos Escobar and Rey’s son Dominik Mysterio who competed against his father in last year’s event.
As Dominik Mysterio attempted to use a ringside chair against his opponents on Saturday, two large masked men physically blocked the attempt. Johnson, an offensive tackle from Philadelphia and the taller of the two at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, snatched the chair from Dominik’s hands, while Kelce, recently retired after 13 seasons playing center with the Eagles, threw into the ring post, which ultimately led to a victory for Rey and Andrade.
PHILLY STRONG.@JasonKelce & @LaneJohnson65 I just destroyed @DomMysterio35 has #WrestleMania XL! pic.twitter.com/k2xZdODDHA
– WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2024
After the match, Kelce and Johnson took off their masks – to resounding cheers from the crowd – and celebrated with the victors. Kelce, 6-foot-3 and nearly 300 pounds, even climbed onto the turnbuckle and let out a scream for the crowd, a familiar sight at Lincoln Financial Field for Eagles fans.
NFL fans may remember a video of Kelce wearing a similar luchador mask celebrating after his brother, Travis, won Super Bowl LVIII with the Kansas City Chiefs in February.
Jason is hilarious, Kylie leaves him alone today 😭 pic.twitter.com/5HFrc6oNW0
– Sarah (@tayvischarm) February 12, 2024
NFL stars past and present are no strangers to WWE. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has appeared at events from time to time. He was also featured in the crowd at WrestleMania XL. Additionally, during his brief early retirement, Rob Gronkowski hosted WrestleMania 36 in 2020. The involvement of New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor might be the best example of players being involved in the show. In 1995, the Hall of Fame linebacker competed at WrestleMania XI, defeating Bam Bam Bigelow.
Kelce and Johnson were part of the offensive line that helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LII, defeating the New England Patriots in Minneapolis.
(Photo by Rey Mysterio and Jason Kelce: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)