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Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is one of the better players at his position in the league, but he is, far and away, the best singer at center in the NFL.
The five-time Pro Bowl player took to the hard court at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Prior to the Philadelphia 76ers facing the Denver Nuggets in an NBA matchup, he sang the National Anthem. Without question, the Eagles center nailed it.
Kelce sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" because he and former Eagles defensive end Conor Barwin had an agreement. The agreement in question was, if Barwin's Make the World Better Foundation reached $100,000 by the end of last year, he'd sing the anthem.
At the conclusion of 2021, the organization raised $114,000, and the center delivered.
During a press conference before the 76ers game, he confessed to the media that he was way more anxious about his singing obligation than he's been for an Eagles contest in quite some time.
“I don’t think I’ve been nervous-nervous in years. I’m nervous-nervous right now,” Kelce said about two hours before he was to sing. “My knees were shaking out there during the sound checks. We’ll see how this goes.” - Jason Kelce via The Philidelphia Inquirer
The 76ers would go on to lose to the Nuggets by a score of 114 –110.
The Make The World Better Foundation, which helps build community spaces in Philly, said the following about the center’s singing performance and their work:
"Your generous spirits are helping to keep our work with community and public spaces rolling, and we're so happy to share this moment with you. Big projects are rolling out soon, and you're gonna like the way you look, Philly."
Jason Kelce’s career with the Eagles
The Eagles center was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. During his rookie season, he started all 16 games and ended his first season with five penalties.
In total, he has played 159 games for the team since his arrival, including being the starting center as the Eagles won Super Bowl 52 over the New England Patriots in the 2017 season.
This offseason, he signed a one-year, $14 million dollar contract with the team, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL yearly.
The four-time All-Pro, who started all 17 games, allowed just one sack in the 2021 season. This upcoming season will be his 12th with the team when the 2022 season commences this September.
