Jason Kelce reacts to A.J. Brown trade and ‘saving’ Philly Santa at his charity golf outing on ‘New Heights’
“I’m looking forward to seeing what A.J. does in New England,” Kelce said on the latest episode of his podcast.
Like many people, Jason Kelce was not surprised when the Eagles traded A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots earlier this week. After a season of speculation and more than a few moments of Brown expressing frustration with the team, the day finally came.
Though Brown has been a star player over the past four seasons, Kelce said on a recent episode of his New Heights podcast that he was optimistic about new offensive strategies the Eagles are implementing.
“There’s question marks, but it’s also optimism,” Kelce said. “There’s hope. We’re not just running it back and doing the same thing that we’ve tried to get right and tried to manufacture over the last three seasons. That has clearly not been working.”
» READ MORE: A.J. Brown’s former Eagles teammates react to the trade: ‘It’s a business.’
Brown’s trade comes after a disappointing season in which the Eagles’ offense dropped from eighth in the NFL in yards per game (367.2 yards in 2024) to 24th (311.2 in 2025). Kelce, however, does not blame the wide receiver for the decline.
“A.J. Brown was not the reason the Eagles offense was not successful this year,” Kelce said. “He’s a very good football player.”
The reason for the trade may have been more about mindset and team dynamics, Kelce reasoned.
“Execution fuels emotion,” Kelce said. “Do I wish A.J. would have handled it better at times? Yes, but I don’t fault him for being frustrated that he wasn’t getting what he wanted out of the game and out of playing for the Philadelphia Eagles.”
With new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and first-round pick Makai Lemon joining DeVonta Smith in the wide receiver room, the Eagles are set to reshape their offense. Kelce added that the offense had “grown stale.”
As for his feelings toward Brown, Kelce holds no ill will.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what A.J. does in New England,” Kelce said. “As a fan of football, I can’t wait to see what Drake Maye and he do up in New England with Josh McDaniels.”
Third Annual (Be)Philly Golf Outing
The Kelces’ golf tournament this week did not look, sound, or feel like a typical day on the green.
The (Be)Philly Foundation, founded by Jason and Kylie Kelce, hosted its third golf outing on Tuesday at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Delaware County. The fundraiser raised money for grant programs supporting underserved youth athletic and educational initiatives throughout the area. However, in typical Kelce fashion, it was no ordinary 18-hole tournament.
This year, the foundation reports it is “on track to exceed $1 million in total community investments.” Fundraisers such as the annual golf outing, along with proceeds from Jason Kelce’s clothing line, Underdog Apparel, support nonprofits including YouthBuild Philly and Safe-Hub Philadelphia.
One highlight of the event came when a prank exploding golf ball hit by Kylie Kelce knocked down Santa Claus.
Santa, who was wearing Bermuda shorts, may be a familiar face to many locals. Rick Reilly has been seen donning the red hat at Phillies and Eagles games as well as concerts around the city since 2020.
Jason Kelce said he wanted to bring the charm and energy of Philadelphia sports culture to the golfers. Reilly, however, may have gotten more than he signed up for when the former Eagles center jokingly gave him CPR after the stunt.
“I may have broken a few ribs,” Kelce said.
A.J. Brown is officially an Eagle no more! We knew the move was coming for weeks, if not months, but that doesn't make the departure of the Pro Bowl wide receiver and Super Bowl champion any less jarring. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane and David Murphy react to general manager Howie Roseman's trade with the New England Patriots. Listen here.
Listen to all episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.