As a father of four, Jason Kelce knows a thing or two about parenting. But with his daughters still years away from their teenage phase, he understands there’s still plenty left to learn. Fortunately, he has a solid blueprint to follow—his own father, Ed Kelce, who, along with Donna Kelce, raised two incredibly accomplished sons in Jason and Travis.
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In honor of Father’s Day last weekend, the Kelce brothers brought their dad on the latest episode of the New Heights podcast to share his perspective and offer advice on fatherhood—because, as they all agreed, being a dad is an ongoing journey of growth and learning.
Ed Kelce shared his thoughts on Father’s Day and what it means to him. For Ed, the day isn’t about gifts or attention—it’s about seeing your children happy and thriving. That, he says, is the true reward of fatherhood.
There’s always been some debate over whether Father’s Day and Mother’s Day are “real” holidays or just commercial inventions. Jason Kelce has no doubts.
For him, any day that honors the tireless, often thankless, and never-ending job of raising children, caring for a family, and making sacrifices along the way is absolutely a real holiday—and one worth celebrating.
Jason admitted he’d love to celebrate Father’s Day with Ed—but in true German fashion. And when someone mentions a “German way” of celebrating, two things usually come to mind: beer and sausages. Alongside their engineering prowess, those are two of Germany’s proudest exports—and also central to how they celebrate Father’s Day.
“Actually, there’s a really good way that the Germans celebrate. I would love to do this with Dad one day. The family drops them off at the woods and they have a wagon that is filled with beer and different types of meats and sausages. The dads just wander into the mountains with a bunch of beer and sausages and they hang out together for a day and then they come back to meet their families afterwards.”
Ed, however, had other ideas. While he was fully on board with the beer and the meat, he wasn’t as thrilled about wandering through the woods. Instead, he preferred a more laid-back version of the celebration—kicking back by the pool, relaxing with good food and a cold drink in hand.
That’s perfectly understandable at his age. After spending most of his life raising his kids and constantly worrying about them, Ed just wants to take it easy.
He reflected on those earlier years, keeping track of Jason and Travis’ schoolwork, sports schedules, behavior, and the inevitable moments when they got into trouble. Back then, being a dad meant always being on alert. Now, with both of his sons thriving in their careers and personal lives, Ed can finally breathe a little easier, knowing they’re doing just fine.
