Jason Kelce has undoubtedly built himself as one of the most celebrated former NFL centers. He has made a name for himself not just on the football field but also as a thoughtful commentator on life’s lessons. This time, his experience from the gridiron comes in handy for his life off the gridiron.
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Jason Kelce wants his daughters to learn to win at life the hard way. On the “New Heights” podcast, Jason Kelce recently shared his perspective on the importance of experiencing failure with his co-hosts and brother Travis. Bringing his daughters into the mix, Kelce emphasized that losing has its own value, and he wants his daughters to realize the same. Discussing the topic with Travis, Jason emphasized the value of losing in building character.
“Especially for kids, losing is incredibly important. I think we put way too much emphasis on winning at the high school and below age groups,” he said.
Jason and his wife, Kylie Kelce, have three daughters—Wyatt, 4, Ellie, 3, and Bennett, 15 months. Although they are still a few years away from participating in competitive sports, Jason is already contemplating the lessons he wants them to learn.
“I kind of hope my girls win just enough that they’re confident, but lose enough that they don’t think they’re the best at what they do so that they’re hungry to continue,” he explained.
Reflecting on his own upbringing and sports experiences, Jason highlighted how early losses helped shape his character. The brothers recounted their youth sports memories, with Travis boasting about his numerous victories. However, Jason was quick to remind him of the many defeats he faced as well, stressing that those losses were just as important in their development.
Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce Reminisce About Their Days of Learning
During the podcast, the brothers humorously debated their own experiences with losing. Travis claimed, “I won everything,” to which Jason quickly remarked, “You lost a lot. What are you talking about?”
However, the two kept on reminiscing trying their hands on baseball, lacrosse, and hockey which gave them many wins. What also tagged along were a number of losses at everywhere they played including Gilmore and throughout their middle school. Ultimately, Jason Kelce’s perspective of losses being a critical part of growth came to a serious conclusion as the two discussed each other’s losses.
“You don’t need to be happy that you’re falling,” Jason concluded. “You just need to hate it but know that it’s a process in order to get it right.”
The better part of the conversation saw Travis Kelce share an anecdote about Thomas Edison, who famously failed thousands of times before successfully inventing the light bulb. What isn’t surprising is how the tenacity of two great NFL players has only strengthened with time and though the older Kelce has retired, his gaming spirit is far from lost.
