They came from Buffalo, Florida, and even Canada. All they knew was they were getting to meet Jason Kelce.
The former Eagles center took part in a “mystery experience” with fans, who eagerly entered without actually knowing what they were signing up for.
Jason Kelce is just about everywhere lately, jetting from one city to the next for Monday Night Football, in addition to all the other new endeavors for the former Eagles center.
As his star rises, so does his massive fan base, which compelled people from across America to enter to win the Marriott Bonvoy “Mystery Jason Kelce Experience,” in Philadelphia — without even knowing what it was. The 10 winners and their guests came from as far as Toronto, Buffalo, and Florida to attend.
Some of them weren’t even Birds fans. But they were Kelce fans.
Suzane Taylor came dressed in a fuzzy blue Bills hat and a Josh Allen Hawaiian shirt, but she bid on the experience because she loves Kelce, and she drove down from Buffalo to take part, bringing her Eagles fan friend along with her.
“Most Bills fans are also Kelce fans,” she said. “When he was shirtless at the [Chiefs] game in Buffalo, he became very popular with the fans. They actually made a Funko Pop out of it to raise money for Buffalo Children’s Hospital. We have a soft spot for Jason Kelce.”
During the experience, which is the latest in Kelce’s role as a Marriott “Fanbassador,” the winners received a tour of the Eagles locker room and the chance to run through the player tunnel onto the field. They also participated in a Q&A with Kelce, took a holiday photo with him, and received a custom Jason Kelce Christmas sweater and a vinyl copy of this year’s Philly Specials holiday album, “A Philly Special Christmas Party,” which released on Nov. 22, the third holiday album featuring Kelce and Eagles offensive linemen Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson.
» READ MORE: Kylie Kelce talks Eagles fandom with Kaitlin Olson, discusses pregnancy on debut episode of ‘Not Gonna Lie!’
Kelce, who retired after playing 13 years with the Eagles, was a good sport, doing special poses with each group member. One, Danny Tolensky, who became an Eagles fan from watching Randall Cunningham as a kid, flew in from Toronto to meet Kelce.
“What I said to him was, ‘You know that part in your documentary where you’re on SNL and your wife is [mad] at you that she had to stay home? That’s me right now,’” Tolensky said about Kelce’s appearance on Saturday Night Live. “I flew in from Toronto, and my wife gave me a couple of photo options. He said, ‘Let’s give her something to smile about, to make her not mad at you.’”
Buddy Williams isn’t a Birds fan, just a fan of Kelce and Jalen Hurts (with a Swiftie daughter), and he traveled from Florida to meet Kelce and gift him a fidget spinner challenge coin for his support of the Eagles Autism Foundation. Williams also pitched him a terrific marketing idea — Kelc’ on the Shelf, in the model of Elf on the Shelf, which Kelce said his daughters love.
Even former Bachelorette contestant and South Jersey native Zac Clark, a fellow Marriott ambassador and lifelong Eagles fan, had a blast at the event: “The little kid in me is thrilled.”
» READ MORE: Jason Kelce discusses sibling rivalries and explains why he doesn’t help friends get free Taylor Swift tickets
Kelce might be on the road more now than he was when he was a player. He spent the weekend playing golf with actor Bill Murray, the latest New Heights guest; traveled to Denver for Monday Night Football, came back to Philly for the event, and will head to Dallas for the next Monday game. Kelce’s also made his way across college football, traveling to Appalachian State to support Hurricane Helene relief and to Penn State to participate in Pat McAfee’s kicking challenge.
“My husband is busier than he’s ever been,” Kylie Kelce said on the debut episode of her podcast, Not Gonna Lie! with Kylie Kelce. “I see him less now in retirement than I did when he was playing football. We had a set schedule then; now it is absolutely free for all. He is working so hard and really grinding right now.”
But Kelce is a magnet for people, who flock to him wherever he goes. He made extra time to talk one-on-one to the event participants at the Linc, but those 20 fans were just a small fraction of the people he interacts with every week, and that’s exactly how he likes it.
“I’ve been fortunate to travel a lot and meet a bunch of people,” Kelce said. “Meeting the caddies, I went down to Appalachian State and met a bunch of people who were giving me moonshine, all sorts of stuff. I think that’s one of the great things about football and the sport, is that it brings people from all over the country together.
“There’s so few things right now where people from different parts of the world are interacting, even just within our own country. I really appreciate that aspect.”