GLENDALE, Ariz. — The “Kelce Bowl” went to younger brother Travis Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs edged Jason Kelce and the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 on Sunday in a thrilling Super Bowl LVII.
Big brother Jason was gracious in defeat — even if his concession had a familiar competitive fire to it.
“Maybe it hasn’t hit me yet. I was a little emotional when I saw my mom and dad. Trav I wasn’t too emotional about it. I was just like, ‘F— you, congratulations,'” he said.
“It was an awesome two weeks for our family. I’m really happy for Trav, the Chiefs. There’s a lot of people I know over there in Kansas City that are a big reason why I’m even in Philadelphia, including head coach Andy Reid. Frustrated we didn’t win but certainly happy for those guys.”
Mother Donna Kelce said before the game that she’d be rooting for both offenses (Travis Kelce is a tight end for the Chiefs, while Jason Kelce plays center for the Eagles) as a way to navigate the tricky situation of having her two sons playing against each other on the biggest of stages. It worked out well in that respect, as the Chiefs and Eagles combined for 73 points, the third most in Super Bowl history.
Travis Kelce had six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown, while Jason Kelce’s Eagles racked up 417 yards on offense.
Any bragging rights Travis Kelce earned with the win were put on the back burner in the immediate aftermath of the game.
“There’s nothing you can really say to a loved one in a situation like that. You joke around all the time and say you want to beat your brother on the biggest stage, but it’s a weird feeling,” he said. “That team had great leadership, great coaches, and it came down to the end. We have all the respect in the world for those Eagles. There’s nothing I can say to him other than I love him and he played a hell of a year , a hell of a season.”
Both brothers were asked about their futures after the game. Jason Kelce, 35, said he would take some time to evaluate whether he is still able to contribute at a high level and willing to commit to another grueling season before making a decision on whether to retire.
Travis Kelce, 33, brought the conversation back to the special season that was when asked how many more years he’ll continue to play.
“I feel like this was the happiest year of my life — both off the field, on the field,” he said. “To see my family be in all its glory and get all its flowers, my mom be the center of attention on the JumboTron before the game on the biggest stage and being able to get closer with my brother throughout the season and to meet him at the mountain top, it’s the best feeling in the world. I don’t know how many more I got left, but I’ll cherish this one forever.”
ESPN’s Adam Teicher contributed to this report.