NFL Notes: Jason Kelce, Calvin Johnson, Shaq Leonard

Jason Kelce

Former Eagles Jason Kelce is enjoying his first summer off after retiring from the NFL this offseason and before he has to buckle down for his next job working for ESPN with Monday Night Countdown. He said he’s grateful to still be in fairly good health after playing for over a decade, even though he still has his fair share of health issues. 

“Everybody exits the league with some type of impediment,” Kelce said via GQ’s Alex Kirshner. “I’ve had a twice-reconstructed right knee, a surgery on my hand, my groin. I’ve broken toes. I’ve had my share of things that have gone wrong, not to mention just the wear and tear of playing 13 years in the NFL. So I’m leaving the game with those scars, but for all intents and purposes, I can play with my kids. I am still able to fully enjoy life, which I consider a blessing whether you played in the NFL or not.”

Kelce added he’s not trying to drop nearly as much weight as some other offensive linemen do after they retire, but he is down nearly 20 pounds right now. 

“As far as the weight is concerned, I weighed 295 for the majority of my NFL career, and I look forward to losing some of those pounds,” Kelce said. “I don’t want to get too small. I think a lot of guys, especially offensive linemen, they lose too much weight, and then they look like bobbleheads because their neck gets so small, but their head stays the same size. So for me, I feel like for some reason, 250 to 260 feels like I’ll be still big and be happy with the way I look without having a six-pack. But I’ll still be able to have that stature a little bit. Right now, I’m about 277. I’m almost 20 pounds down right now. It’s hard to imagine another nearly 20 pounds coming off, being honest with you. But my back already feels better. My knees already feel better. So another 20 pounds hopefully will make that much more adept at playing with my children.”

Calvin Johnson

Legendary Lions WR Calvin Johnson holds the record for most receiving yards in a season with 1,964 yards in 2012. Johnson acknowledged his record won’t stand forever with the added games and shift to a more offensive-dominated game. 

“I mean, it’s bound to fall at some point the way it’s going, so it is what it is,” Johnson said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “I held it down, I don’t know even know how long, over a decade now.”

“They want more offense, man, so at some point (it’s going to happen). You got to be healthy. You got to play really a full 17 now. … That’s the key. You got to be healthy. If you can play 17, guys have put up numbers, you’re going to put up numbers. That 17, you get that extra game to put another 150 or 200 (yards).”

Shaquille Leonard

Free agent LB Shaquille Leonard is still waiting for the right NFL opportunity for the 2024 season after dealing with severe injuries during his time with the Colts after wrapping up a brief stint with the Eagles.

“I’m more so just sitting back, getting the body healthy, and whenever the opportunity presents itself, we’ll give it a try,” Leonard said, via the IndyStar.com. “I just continue to be me by working hard. If it happens, it happens. If it don’t, it don’t. I think throughout my career I’ve had a great career, even if I do step away from it. . . . I’m enjoying life and just waiting on that opportunity.”