Eagles Center Kelce Brings Own Cheering Squad for Browns Matchup

Eagles Center Kelce Brings Own Cheering Squad for Browns Matchup
Fitzgerald Cecilio

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce will have his own cheering squad among thousands of Cleveland fans when they take on the Browns Sunday.

Kelce, who grew 15 miles from Cleveland Browns Stadium, bought 35 tickets for friends and family, in addition to other supporters who are Browns season-ticket holders.

A graduate of the Cleveland Heights High School, Kelce said he still remembers the time when his father brought him to a Browns game at old Municipal Stadium.

"What I really remember about it is we didn't stay for the game," Kelce said. "I started crying during the national anthem because it was too loud and my dad took me home."

Entering his second season, the 24-year-old Kelce is now considered as one of the league's top young offensive linemen and is an integral part of the Eagles' offense.

"Jason has the opportunity to be one of the very best centers in this league," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said about Kelce. "He's everything you want in a center. He's quick, smart, extremely athletic, strong, consistent and has great toughness."

"I found out about his toughness last season. I got to the locker room after the last game and his foot was swelled up twice its size. I found out he broke it in the second or third quarter but still played the rest of the game," he added.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Kelce will lead an offensive line that will miss its best player, Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, for the first six games of the season.

He provided solid protection for quarterback Michael Vick and was a ferocious run blocker who helped running back LeSean McCoy rush for 1,309 yards and score a league-high 20 touchdowns. King Dunlap will take his position momentarily.

"We play to every player's strengths and try to put them in the best position to have success," Mornhinweg said. "We really did special things with Jason that we wouldn't be able to do with a normal player. However, King is very good at almost everything we do offensively."

The rest of the line -- Kelce, left guard Evan Mathis, right guard Danny Watkins, right tackle Todd Herremans -- is intact from most of last season.