Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce (now retired) has never been one to shy away from a bold moment, whether it’s chugging beers at a tailgate or delivering passionate speeches in Mummers gear. But even he was taken aback—and impressed—by one die-hard fan’s very spirited tribute: a pin-up style tattoo of Kelce wearing nothing but cleats, gloves, a shoulder pad, and a cheeky grin.
The now-viral ink features the retired center in a pose reminiscent of classic 1940s pin-up girls—legs kicked back, muscles flexed, and strategically placed football gear leaving just enough to the imagination. Behind him? A swooping, stylized eagle and a splash of midnight green. The caption? “Heart and Hustle.”
When the tattoo made its way to social media, it didn’t take long for Kelce to weigh in. “Well… that’s a new one,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), alongside laughing emojis. “I’ve seen a lot of Philly ink, but this is elite-level commitment. Respect.”
Kelce’s reaction was pure Philly: equal parts humility, humor, and a dose of disbelief.
“It’s flattering, honestly,” he said later on his podcast New Heights, which he co-hosts with brother and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. “I mean, I didn’t know I had ‘pin-up model’ on my post-NFL bingo card, but hey—if you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re doing it wrong.”
Travis, of course, had a field day. “Dude, the thigh definition they gave you? Unreal. You’re looking like Zoolander: Linebacker Edition.”
The fan behind the tattoo, a longtime Eagles season ticket holder named Gina Vasquez, says the idea came to her after Kelce’s epic shirtless celebration during the Eagles’ NFC Championship win in 2023. “He’s the heart of this team,” she told local media. “And also, like, kind of a Philly sex symbol now?”
Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelce, 33, was also shocked by the ink, commenting, “Excuse me???”
Jason Kelce may have hung up his cleats, but the love from Eagles Nation clearly hasn’t cooled off. And in this case, it’s permanent.
As Kelce himself put it: “If nothing else, my legacy is now permanently etched on someone’s thigh. That’s Philly love, baby.”