by The Importance of Friendship: Jason Kelce and His Close Bonds
Jason Kelce is widely considered one of the best centers in the NFL. As the anchor of the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line, he has helped lead the team to playoff success, including a Super Bowl championship in 2018. However, beyond his accomplishments on the field, Kelce values the strong friendships he has built off of it. While he keeps his personal life private, a few close friends have been mentioned throughout Kelce’s career that provide insight into the importance of those relationships for the All-Pro lineman.
Aric Jones: A Lifelong Friendship
One of Kelce’s closest friends is Aric Jones. The two have known each other since they were children growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. Kelce and Jones played youth hockey together and attended the same summer sports camps as kids. Their friendship began at a young age and has continued to grow into adulthood.
In interviews, Kelce has called Jones his “best friend” and mentioned how their bond was formed through sharing experiences together from an early age. Learning and competing in sports side by side helped lay the foundation for a lifelong friendship between the two. Even as Kelce’s NFL career has taken him away from Cleveland, he remains close with Jones, who still resides in their hometown.
Jones has been spotted supporting Kelce at Eagles games over the years. When Kelce won Super Bowl LII MVP honors, one of the first people he called was Jones to share in the joy of the moment. Their friendship demonstrates how important developing relationships in youth can be. The core values of trust, teamwork and camaraderie cultivated through sports as children between Kelce and Jones has endured into adulthood, showing the positive impact that childhood friendships can have.
Ben Hartranft: A Close Friendship in Philadelphia
Another close friend of Kelce’s is Ben Hartranft. Unlike Jones, who Kelce has known since childhood, less is known publicly about how Kelce’s friendship with Hartranft began. However, it’s clear the two men consider each other good friends. Hartranft has been spotted hanging out with Kelce socially in Philadelphia, where the center spends most of his time during the NFL season with the Eagles.
While their friendship may not go back decades like Kelce’s relationship with Jones, Hartranft is still someone the All-Pro lineman remains tight with in his adult life. It shows that while childhood bonds can be deeply impactful, meaningful friendships can also form between adults who connect through shared experiences and interests. For Kelce and Hartranft, being teammates in the same city playing for the same franchise likely helped their friendship blossom in recent years.
Hartranft posted a tribute to Kelce on social media after the Eagles won the Super Bowl, calling him a “great leader and even better friend.” The public display highlighted how Hartranft views Kelce not just as a teammate, but as a close confidant. Their bond in Philadelphia reinforces that significant friendships can emerge at any stage of life.
The Value of Friendship for Jason Kelce
For Kelce, the friendships he maintains with both Jones and Hartranft demonstrate how important human connection is to him, both personally and professionally. While his job requires laser focus physically and mentally during the season, Kelce finds value in surrounding himself with trusted friends off the field. Their presence in his life provides an outlet and support system separate from the pressures of his NFL career.
In interviews, Kelce has acknowledged how football is not the only priority in his world and that life exists beyond the gridiron. His friendships allow him to keep a balanced perspective and enjoy aspects of camaraderie, trust and fun that are not strictly related to his profession. Whether reconnecting with longtime friends like Jones or cultivating new bonds similar to Hartranft, the relationships help Kelce maintain perspective that there is more to his identity than just his job as an athlete.
The consistency of Jones in Kelce’s life since childhood and the closeness formed with Hartranft in recent years both underscore how friendships can uplift and motivate Kelce on a personal level, in addition to his success on the field. While his career demands laser focus during seasons, the bonds he has built with those close to him provide an emotional outlet and reminder of life’s bigger picture away from sports. For Kelce, maintaining strong connections with trusted friends has proven just as important as his accomplishments between the lines.
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