Former NFL star Jason Kelce has made a surprising admission about his weight, revealing that despite shedding approximately 25 pounds since retiring from football, he still falls into the medical category of obesity.
The 38-year-old Philadelphia Eagles legend opened up about his size during an NFL Network broadcast Sunday, October 11, when an innocent conversation about another player’s performance took an unexpected turn.
And when fellow commentator Kurt Warner tried to reassure him that he wasn’t overweight, Kelce had a hilarious response.
The conversation began during the Eagles’ matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, when Jacksonville defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton was unexpectedly called upon to serve as the team’s emergency long snapper.
Hamilton, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs approximately 335 pounds, stepped into the unfamiliar role after starting long snapper Ross Matiscik suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter.
Kelce, who spent 13 seasons playing center for Philadelphia, was impressed by Hamilton’s willingness to tackle the difficult assignment.
Drawing on his own experience as a high school long snapper, Kelce explained how challenging the position can become for bigger players.
“When I got to 300 pounds-ish, it became really hard to look in between your legs,” he joked.
He then praised Hamilton for stepping up when his team needed him.
But Warner, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback who was working alongside Kelce in the broadcast booth, couldn’t resist teasing his colleague.
“You’ve never been fat. You’re just husky,” Warner told him.
Kelce immediately disagreed, pointing to the medical system used to classify body weight.
“If you look at the BMI, I think I’m technically obese. Morbidly,” he said.
Although his comment was delivered humorously, it sparked a discussion about how weight is measured and whether the standard system accurately reflects the bodies of professional athletes.
Kelce stands approximately 6-foot-3 and has previously reported weighing around 270 pounds after dropping roughly 25 pounds since his retirement.
At that height and weight, his body mass index, or BMI, would be approximately 33.7.
That falls within the medical classification of Class 1 obesity, which applies to BMI measurements between 30 and 34.9.
However, it does not meet the standard definition of Class 3 obesity, historically referred to as morbid or severe obesity, which generally begins at a BMI of 40.
In other words, Kelce’s joke about being classified as obese was technically accurate using his previously reported measurements, but his suggestion that he qualifies as morbidly obese was an exaggeration.
The distinction is particularly important for athletes.
BMI is calculated using height and weight, but it does not distinguish between muscle and body fat.
That means professional football players, particularly offensive linemen, may have elevated BMI measurements despite carrying significantly more muscle than the average person.
Medical professionals generally recommend considering additional factors, including waist measurements, body composition, blood pressure and metabolic health, when assessing someone’s overall condition.
For Kelce, weight has been an important subject since he officially retired from the NFL in March 2024.
During his playing career, the seven-time Pro Bowl center regularly maintained a weight near 295 pounds to withstand the physical demands of battling defensive linemen.
But after stepping away from the sport, he began reconsidering how much weight he wanted to carry.
In June 2024, Kelce told GQ that he had already lost approximately 20 pounds and was noticing physical improvements.
His back and knees felt better, he explained, and he hoped losing additional weight would make everyday activities more comfortable.
One of his biggest motivations was spending time with his children.
Kelce and his wife, Kylie, have four daughters: Wyatt, Elliotte, Bennett and Finn.
Since retiring, he has spoken openly about wanting to stay active and healthy enough to keep up with them as they grow.
He has also acknowledged that losing weight after spending most of his adult life maintaining an NFL-sized body requires a major adjustment.
During a 2025 interview with Us Weekly, Kelce said he hoped to eventually settle somewhere between 250 and 265 pounds.
However, he admitted that he didn’t want to become too small, joking that some people actually seemed disappointed when he started losing weight.
The former Eagles star has continued discussing his changing appearance on New Heights, the enormously popular podcast he hosts with his younger brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
The brothers frequently joke about their physical differences, football experiences and family lives.
Their podcast has become a major entertainment success, reportedly securing a distribution agreement worth more than $100 million.
Jason has also established himself as a television personality, joining ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown following his retirement and later taking on NFL Network broadcasting assignments.
Despite leaving professional football more than two years ago, Kelce remains one of the sport’s most recognizable personalities.
His candid remarks about weight have resonated with fans who appreciate his willingness to discuss the physical challenges of life after football.
And while his latest admission sounded alarming at first, there is no indication that Kelce was announcing a new medical diagnosis or revealing a serious health problem.
Instead, the moment was another example of his trademark humor, using a football conversation to poke fun at himself.
For Kelce, the goal isn’t necessarily reaching a particular number on the scale.
It’s about finding a healthier, more comfortable weight after years of playing one of the NFL’s most physically demanding positions.
And judging by his latest comments, he isn’t afraid to laugh about the process along the way.
