A boozy Jason Kelce was seen arriving at the Eagles parade beer in hand as he prepares to toast their Super Bowl triumph with supporters in Philadelphia.
Over a million fans are lining the streets of Philly on Friday to celebrate their historic victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, with a cigar-smoking Jalen Hurts and his jubilant teammates parading the Vince Lombardi Trophy through the city.
Almost an hour after the bus set off, Eagles legend Jason was seen joining the party having already made a start on the beers.
The 37-year-old received a warm reception from fans when he arrived just after 12pm, before lifting his cap in the air to show his appreciation.
Kelce wore much more subtle attire for this parade than the celebration for Super Bowl LII when he was still playing for the Eagles.
To celebrate that occasion, the center wore a ‘Mummers’ outfit – a colorful and bombastic garment worn during a New Year’s Day parade held in Philadelphia each year.
Kelce, who retired last year after 13 seasons with the Eagles, was in New Orleans last week as Philadelphia destroyed his younger brother Travis and the Chiefs.
He opened up on the mixed emotions of Sunday’s game on a post-Super Bowl episode of his and Travis’ New Heights podcast this week, becoming visibly upset while discussing the criticism he has received.
‘Part of me is very happy and proud they won this game,’ Jason told the Kansas City tight end.
‘But that doesn’t make you less of a brother,’ Travis interrupted. ‘That doesn’t make you less of a brother.’
Jason then raised his quivering voice above his brother’s. ‘That does not take precedence over rooting for you,’ he said, explaining why he wanted Travis to win Sunday’s game. ‘And that’s why this game sucked. It was very, very hard to watch.
‘As much as I love the Eagles as much as love the city of Philadelphia, there is not a f***ing ounce of me,’ a tearful Jason said before stopping himself and pivoting. ‘I tried to correlate that I was rooting for both sides the whole time and I was going to be happy and sad, regardless. No matter who won, it was gonna be happy and sad, regardless. And trying to communicate why I might be rooting for the Eagles…’
The Eagles, who destroyed Travis and the Chiefs in Sunday’s NFL showpiece, are now celebrating back home with their adoring supporter after capturing the franchise’s second Super Bowl.
Hurts, who produced one of the best displays of his career at quarterback, could be seen puffing on a cigar as he and his teammates set off on the parade, which will conclude with a ceremony on the famous Rocky steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
A replay of the dominant 40-22 win over the Chiefs, which the Eagles led 34-0 at one stage, will be shown on large screens nearby.
The parade started near the South Philadelphia stadium and will proceed up Broad Street to City Hall, before heading west on to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to the art museum.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who is celebrating on the bus with Philadelphia stars, was seen holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy aloft next to Hurts when the parade got underway at around 11am.
Hours before it began, Eagles fans wasted no time poking fun at Patrick Mahomes after his nightmare in New Orleans.
The Philly faithful brutally taunted Mahomes by bringing out a hog roast made to resemble the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
The cooked pig could be seen with his No. 15 jersey number carved into its side, while a wig resembling his curly haircut was also placed on its head.
