“Kelce,” released Sept. 12 on Prime Video, follows Pro-Bowl football player Jason Kelce’s 2022-2023 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. The film gives an intimate view into the life of Jason Kelce, a 35-year-old veteran in the National Football League (NFL), beyond his presence on the field. An emotional, entertaining, raw and unfiltered doc, “Kelce” is a must-watch for any sports fan. 

In the opening scenes of the film, we see that Kelce is highly regarded as one of the most beloved Philadelphia athletes ever for his infamous Superbowl parade speech in 2018. As a boisterously unique and entertaining person, Jason Kelce fits right in with the Philadelphia crowd, and shows a genuine appreciation for the city and all that it has done over his 12-year career. 

A main focus of the film is the depiction of the physical toll that football has taken on Kelce’s body for the majority of his life. As a center, Jason Kelce’s main job is to snap the ball and protect his quarterback, so he is constantly being beaten around and hit in the head. Throughout his career, he’s undergone seven different surgeries. 

“Nobody’s guaranteed tomorrow. Nobody’s guaranteed years in advance. If I get CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy] and I can’t interact with my grandkids, I would still say playing 12 years in the NFL, making my family super prosperous, and being like an influential member of at least the city of Philadelphia is a good trade-off,” Kelce said during the film in regards to the consequences of his possible injuries. 

“We idolize living as long as possible and as healthy as possible,” Kelce reflected. “I don’t know that that’s necessarily the meaning of life.” 

The film covers the Philadelphia Eagles’ stellar run throughout the 2022-2023 season, and features the highs and lows of a team going 14-3 in the regular season and dominating in their playoff run. 

All the while, Jason Kelce’s younger brother Travis, star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, also led his team to the playoffs. After the Eagles won the National Football Conference (NFC) game against the San Francisco 49ers to advance to the Superbowl, Jason made his way to a pub to watch his brother win the American Football Conference (AFC) game against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

For the first time in Superbowl history, two brothers were facing off against each other in what was soon deemed as the “Kelce Bowl.” 

The film touches on the brothers’ inseparable bond. To become closer while living in two different cities and only seeing each other on the field most of the time, they created the “New Heights” podcast together. The documentary delves into their close relationship and how Jason saved Travis from being kicked off of their college team at the University of Cincinnati. 

“I owe a lot of it, if not all of it, to the big bear. Without that big guy, man, I don’t know what I would be doing,” Travis emotionally reflected in the film.

 At the end of the film, Jason makes the tough decision to stay in the NFL.He speaks directly into the camera in an intimate one-on-one interview, making it feel like he is talking to the audience with much vulnerability as he battles his choices. In this moment we see that there is something special about dedicating your entire life to something and the feelings that come with wrestling about walking away from it. As an athlete, the game of football is indescribably pulling him to play again as he chooses what his heart says rather than his mind. 

“Every logical thing is telling me I should stop playing football,” Jason Kelce says. “I have no doubt I can be a loving father. I have no doubt I can be successful. But where am I gonna get that?” 

The end of the film fades into Gary Clarks song, “The Cape” as Jason walks his way through the Eagles stadium, staring at the legacy built before him. This excellent song choice symbolizes Kelce’s life as a football player and his unwavering commitment to the game of football. He’s not ready to give that up just yet. 

“Kelce” is now streaming on Prime Video.