Jason Kelce Net Worth: From Sixth-Round Pick to $60 Million Fortune

You know what's crazy about Jason Kelce's story? The guy started out as a walk-on at Cincinnati who literally didn't even get to play his first year. Just practiced with the team, hoping someone would notice him. Fast forward to today, and he's sitting on $60 million, hosting one of the biggest sports podcasts in the world, and making more money in retirement than he ever did playing football.

This isn't one of those overnight success stories where everything just falls into place. Jason spent years bouncing between positions, getting told he was too small, too slow, not good enough. When the Eagles finally drafted him in the sixth round—pick 191, basically the end of the draft—nobody expected much. But here's the thing about being underestimated your whole life: it either breaks you or it turns you into someone who refuses to quit. For Jason, it was definitely the latter.

Jason Kelce Net Worth: The Numbers Behind the Legend

So let's talk money, because Jason Kelce net worth in 2025 is absolutely wild. We're looking at $60 million here. Think about that for a second—this is an offensive lineman, a position most casual fans can't even name the players at. And he came into the league as a sixth-round pick, the kind of guy teams usually cut after training camp.

Over 13 seasons with the Eagles, Jason pocketed around $86 million just from his NFL contracts. But get this: retirement actually made him richer. The ESPN deal he signed pays him $24 million over three years, which works out to about $8 million per year for showing up on Monday Night Countdown. Then they threw in a late-night show on top of that.

The real goldmine though? The podcast. Jason and his brother Travis signed a deal worth $100 million with Amazon's Wondery for their "New Heights" show. Split between the two of them, that's roughly $15 million a year for Jason. More than he ever made in the NFL. And we're not even counting the endorsement money from Campbell's Soup, Old Spice, Tide—all these brands that fit perfectly with his regular-guy vibe. The man figured out how to get paid just for being himself.

The Humble Beginning: When Jason Kelce Made His First Dollars

Before anyone cared about Jason Kelce net worth, there was just a kid from Cleveland Heights, Ohio who loved football. Born November 5, 1987, Jason grew up with his younger brother Travis, both of them playing ball in the backyard, never imagining they'd both end up NFL stars one day.

His first "paycheck" from football? Yeah, there wasn't one. When Jason showed up at the University of Cincinnati in 2005, he was a walk-on. No scholarship, no money, nothing. Just showing up and hoping to prove he belonged. That first year in 2005, he got redshirted, which means he practiced with the team all season but never actually played in a game. Imagine grinding every single day, doing all the hard work, and not even getting to step on the field. Most guys would've said screw this and gone home.

Jason stuck around. For the next couple years, he bounced all over the place—linebacker, defensive end, offensive line. Couldn't find his spot. It wasn't until his senior season that everything clicked when he moved to center. Even then, his team went 4-8. Not exactly the kind of college career that scouts get excited about. Nobody was projecting this guy as a future NFL starter, let alone a Hall of Famer.

Landing His First Job: The Eagles Take a Chance

Draft day 2011. Jason's sitting there watching round after round go by, watching other guys get picked, probably thinking maybe this whole NFL thing isn't gonna happen. Then finally, way down in the sixth round at pick 191, the Philadelphia Eagles call his name. His first contract was nothing to write home about—four years, $2.3 million total, with a $144,000 signing bonus. His salary that rookie year was $375,000. Sounds like decent money until you realize that in NFL terms, those numbers basically say "we're taking a flyer on this guy."

But Jason wasn't about to waste the opportunity. During training camp, he outworked everyone and won the starting center job. First rookie in Eagles history to start all 16 games at center. The offensive line coach took one look at him and said he could be the next Jeff Saturday, who was a five-time Pro Bowler. Most people probably thought that was coach-speak, you know, trying to hype up the new guy. Turns out the coach wasn't hyping anything up—he was underselling it if anything.

Career Growth: How Jason Kelce's Salary Exploded

Here's the beautiful thing about proving everyone wrong—eventually they have to pay you what you're actually worth. By 2014, after Jason showed the league he was legit, the Eagles came back with a six-year extension worth $37.5 million, with $13 million guaranteed. From a $375,000 rookie salary to over $6 million a year. That's not just a raise, that's a "holy crap, this guy's the real deal" kind of contract. He was getting paid like one of the top centers in the entire league.

But that wasn't even his peak earning years. In 2019, he signed a three-year extension for $24.5 million. Then he started doing these one-year deals that were absolutely massive. In 2021, he got $14 million for a single season, making him the highest-paid center in the whole NFL. His last contract in 2023 was another one-year deal worth $14.25 million—the biggest single-season payday of his entire career.

During these years, Jason wasn't just getting paid. He was earning seven Pro Bowl selections, winning Super Bowl LII, becoming a Philadelphia icon. The money followed the performance, and the performance just kept getting better.

The Peak Years: When Everything Came Together

Jason's career peak wasn't just about the paychecks, even though the money was incredible. It was about respect. About proving that a sixth-round pick could become one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. Between 2014 and 2023, he made seven Pro Bowls, got multiple First-Team All-Pro honors, and became the absolute heart of the Eagles' offensive line. Not just because he was good at blocking, but because of how he led. The intelligence, the toughness, the way he made everyone around him better.

The 2017-2018 season was probably when everything hit its peak. The Eagles won Super Bowl LII, beating the Patriots in one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. After that win, Jason stood in front of thousands of fans dressed in a full Mummers costume and gave this absolutely legendary speech defending his city and his teammates. That moment transformed him from "great player" to "Philadelphia legend." He wasn't just earning millions—he was building something that would last way beyond football.

Those final seasons, he was still playing at an elite level and getting paid like it. That $14.25 million contract in 2023 at age 36 proved he was still one of the most valuable centers in the league. He retired in March 2024 after 13 seasons, all with the Eagles. In a league where guys chase money and jump teams constantly, Jason showed that loyalty actually pays off.

Current Wealth Status: Life After Football Pays Even Better

Here's what's crazy about Jason Kelce net worth right now: retirement has been the best financial move of his career. While he made $86 million playing football, his post-retirement setup might end up making him even more. That ESPN deal is paying him about $8 million a year just for showing up on Monday Night Countdown. Then they gave him his own late-night show on top of that. Not a bad gig for someone who's not getting hit by 300-pound defensive linemen anymore.

The "New Heights" podcast with Travis has turned into an absolute money machine. The show was doing well before Travis started dating Taylor Swift, but once that relationship went public, the podcast absolutely exploded. In August 2024, they signed a $100 million deal with Amazon's Wondery. That's $15 million a year for Jason—more than any single season he had in the NFL.

Jason's also been smart with real estate. He's got a property in Haverford, Pennsylvania that he bought for $680,000, plus another eight acres next door he grabbed for $3.96 million. Him and his wife Kylie also picked up a beach house in Sea Isle City, New Jersey for $2.2 million. Add in all the endorsement money from Campbell's Soup, Old Spice, Nike, Bose, Tide, plus the streaming money from that Amazon documentary "Kelce" that became the most-watched doc on Prime Video, and you've got someone who built multiple income streams that most entrepreneurs would kill for.

Best part? The guy's not even 40 yet. He's got decades to keep building on this foundation. Unlike so many retired athletes who end up broke, Jason set himself up perfectly. He's not just rich—he's positioned to stay that way.

Jason Kelce's Philosophy: How to Build Success That Lasts

What makes Jason different from all those other talented athletes who never quite make it? It's not just talent or even hard work. It's his whole approach to success. In his retirement speech, Jason shared some principles that guided his journey, and honestly, they're worth paying attention to whether you're trying to make it in sports or just trying to build something meaningful in your own life.

• Work Harder When Everyone Doubts You. Jason's entire career was built on people telling him he wasn't good enough. Too small. Not fast enough. Wrong position. Sixth-round pick. But instead of letting that doubt crush him, he used it as rocket fuel. His offensive line coach used to say this quote from his dad: "More often than not, the easy way is the wrong way." Jason lived that. When he could've quit after getting redshirted, he worked harder. When he could've accepted being a backup, he fought for the starting job. When people said he was too old, he signed his biggest contract ever. The lesson? Don't run from doubt—use it to push yourself further than you ever thought possible.
• Stay Authentic, Even When Fame Arrives. One of the most incredible things about Jason is that success didn't change who he is at his core. Despite becoming an NFL star, going on Saturday Night Live, having one of the biggest sports podcasts out there, he's still fundamentally the same dude—someone you'd grab a beer with at your local bar. His endorsement deals prove this. He only partners with brands that actually make sense for his everyman image. When he was supposed to dress up for his Amazon documentary premiere, he showed up in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. That's not PR strategy—that's just Jason being Jason. In a world where everyone's trying to craft some perfect personal brand, his success shows that just being genuinely yourself still works better than anything else.
• Build Relationships That Matter. During his retirement speech, Jason completely broke down when he tried to talk about his teammates and what football camaraderie meant to him. Money and stats didn't make his career meaningful—the relationships did. He talked about how his favorite memories weren't even from games or championships. They were from sitting in the cafeteria with teammates, eating together and just talking about life. He credits his wife Kylie for making him a better player, noting that every major achievement he had came after she was in his life. The message is crystal clear: success isn't just about what you accomplish—it's about who you accomplish it with and who's supporting you along the way.
• Trust Yourself When Making Big Decisions. When Jason finally decided to retire, his brother Travis asked who helped him most with the decision. Jason's answer was simple: "Me." That's how he knew it was right—the answer came from within, not from everyone else's opinions. Jason spent years listening to advice, weighing options, considering what everyone else thought about whether he should retire. But in the end, he had to trust his own gut. That self-knowledge—understanding what his body needed, what his family needed, what felt right—allowed him to walk away on his own terms. Whether you're leaving a job, starting a business, or making any other huge life decision, Jason's approach reminds us that advice is valuable but the final call has to come from you.
• Embrace the Underdog Mentality Forever. Even after reaching the absolute top of his profession, becoming one of the highest-paid centers in NFL history, and building a $60 million fortune, Jason still approaches everything with an underdog mentality. In his retirement speech, he said: "Today, I must admit, I am officially overrated. Vastly overrated. It took a lot of hard work and determination getting here. I have been the underdog my entire career and I mean this when I say it, I wish I still was." That mindset—always feeling like you've got something to prove, always working like success isn't guaranteed—kept him excellent for 13 straight seasons. The moment you start believing your own hype is when you stop getting better.
• Remember That Your Career Has a Shelf Life. Jason was always realistic about football ending someday. He once said: "Your career has a finite shelf life and you're going to have to figure out what's next. Not just being sound financially, but also what are you aspiring to full-time and what is that going to look like?" This forward-thinking approach is exactly why his post-NFL life has been so successful. He didn't wait until retirement to figure things out—he built relationships, developed broadcasting skills, and created opportunities while he was still playing. Too many people, athletes and regular folks alike, only focus on their current job without planning for what comes next. Jason proves that thinking ahead and building multiple skills is essential for long-term success.

Jason Kelce's story shows there's no single path to success, but there are principles that work across any field. Work harder when people doubt you. Stay true to yourself even when fame shows up. Build real relationships. Trust your gut. Keep that hunger alive. And always plan for what's next. These aren't just sports cliches—they're the actual blueprint that took a sixth-round draft pick and turned him into a $60 million success story who's just getting started.