Amateur rugby union players from Hackney were in for a surprise when they turned up for a training match and found a former Super Bowl champion lining up for local rivals Old Streetonians. Hackney RFC's players arrived on Wednesday for a 30-minute friendly, only to find former NFL star Jason Kelce playing for the opposition.
Kelce, older brother of Travis, the three-time Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs tight end married to pop superstar Taylor Swift, played 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 38-year-old is now learning new sports for his YouTube channel and had a rugby lesson from former Harlequins and England prop Joe Marler. He was joined by former Eagles team-mate Beau Allen, also a member of the 2018 Super Bowl-winning side.
Hackney full-back Peter Scott joked that the story would be a good one to tell, given the connection to Taylor Swift's brother-in-law. Prop Dave Lewis said it took Kelce a while to adjust to the rules, noting that he was penalised early for picking the ball up from behind a ruck. Lewis said Kelce later ran over him with the ball, adding that he did not seem to have an ego and was simply enjoying the physicality. Scott described Kelce as an intimidating figure, suggesting that his size and power made him a natural fit at number 8.
Kelce is in England this week to commentate on Sunday's NFL game between Philadelphia and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Old Street chairman Will Gilgrass said both former players embraced the occasion, joining the club afterwards and taking part in its initiation.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing