Recently retired Philadelphia Eagles lineman Jason Kelce and wife Kylie watch the women's field hockey match between the Argentina and United States, at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
COLOMBES, France (AP) — Jason Kelce wore a blue beret that matched his “USA” T-shirt. For a player known for going all out throughout his NFL career, it was more of the same when he joined his wife, Kylie, at the Paris Olympics.
The Kelces came out to support the U.S. women’s field hockey team in its opening game Saturday night. Kylie played field hockey growing up, and she did a TikTok with a couple of the U.S. players this year. Combined with Jason’s retirement, it was perfect timing for a trip to Paris for the Games.
“I would say I’ve always wanted to come and see (an) Olympic games,” Kylie told The Associated Press after the United States lost 4-1 to medal favorite Argentina. “When they qualified to come to Paris, I was like, that kind of makes sense. And then when I got to sit down with Ashley and Kelee, it was kind of a no-brainer. … Through and through, it made sense. We’re happy to be here.”
Jason also would have loved to attend the Olympics, but the Summer Games conflict with NFL training camp. Brother Travis Kelce is mid-camp with the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, while his famous girlfriend, Taylor Swift, is mid-European tour in Munich.
“When we found out that we were going to have an opportunity to go to this, the more we thought about it, we were like, ‘Let’s take advantage of it now that we can actually do it,’” Jason said. “We love sports, we love competition, we love world events. This is such a unique place where the entire world gets to come together and bond over competition and sports.”
The Kelces are plenty familiar with those things, with Jason winning a Super Bowl during his 13 seasons as a center with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Kylie playing defender in field hockey in high school and college. She joked about the TikTok with Ashley Sessa and Kelee Lepage that she embarrassed herself, but it was worth it.
“It was just really cool to sit down and talk with them about what this means to them, how they’ve looked forward to it and what it took for them get here and it’s so amazing to see them on this stage,” Kylie said. “It’s just sort of this full-circle moment of I feel like the field hockey community really bands together. No matter what level you’re playing, you can appreciate what this is.”
Sessa, who scored the lone U.S. goal, called Kylie Kelce one of the coolest people she has ever interacted with.
“Meeting Kylie was an amazing experience to meet someone who also shares the same passion to grow the game,” Sessa told the AP last week. “Having the opportunity to connect and relate with her is great. She has an amazing heart and is down to earth.”
After witnessing a game that he pointed out was closer than the score indicated, Jason had nothing but good things to say about the young U.S. team full of first-time Olympians.
“They played hard, they’re a young team and they played arguably the best team in the world,” he said. “It was a fun game to watch and proud of the girls for how hard they fought.”
As for where he got the beret? “A souvenir shop,” is all Kelce would offer.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
