Jason Kelce suffers bruised shoulder after taking on three professional sumo wrestlers
The former Philadelphia Eagles player wanted to try a sport completely different from football and ended up paying the physical price for the challenge.
Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce’s older brother, put himself to the test once again outside the NFL. The former Philadelphia Eagles center decided to take on three professional sumo wrestlers and ended the experience with a bruised shoulder.
Although the blow was not described as a serious injury, the episode highlighted the physical demands of a sport that surprised even someone accustomed to years of physical contact in the NFL.
Jason Kelce discovers the rigor of sumo
Kelce had previously mentioned that he’d been curious about sumo for some time and wanted to try new contact sports after retiring from professional football.
During the session, he had to learn everything from the basics—such as posture and how to wear the traditional mawashi—to techniques involving balance, center of gravity, and how to push an opponent off balance.
Jason himself acknowledged that he found similarities between sumo and the role of an offensive lineman, especially in how to use one’s body to gain position and gain an advantage over an opponent.
However, facing off against three sumo specialists left him with one specific physical consequence: a bruised shoulder after the intense challenge.
Jason and Travis Kelce remain closely tied to the NFL
While Jason enjoys his retirement and explores new experiences off the field, his brother Travis Kelce remains one of the most recognizable figures on the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Kelce brothers have maintained a huge media presence in recent years, both because of their NFL careers and their podcast New Heights , where they often share personal stories, sports anecdotes, and details of their lives outside of football.
Jason retired in 2024 after playing his entire career with Philadelphia and winning Super Bowl LII . Since then, he has traded the hits of the offensive line for new challenges, though his experience with sumo reminded him that physical contact continues to take its toll even after leaving the NFL.
