Jason Kelce Doesn’t Hold Back on Eagles Players While Defending Kevin Patullo

As frustration continues to boil over in Philadelphia following the Eagles’ Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, former franchise cornerstone Jason Kelce did not mince words. 

Sports Illustrated noted, despite fans and analysts loudly calling for offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to be fired, that Kelce made it clear he believes the blame has been misplaced. 

“I know that everybody is out on Kevin Patullo,” Kelce said Monday night on ESPN. 

“I happen to know the guy. I love Kevin Patullo. I know he’s a great coach.” 

Instead of pointing the finger at the coaching staff, the future Hall of Famer delivered a blunt assessment of a roster that failed to live up to expectations. 

“They had the No. 1 highest-paid offense in the league and were mediocre across the board,” Kelce added. “That’s unacceptable.”

Kelce made it clear that the players should be the ones to be held accountable, not the coaches.  

Kelce Blames Players, Defends Patullo 

Kelce acknowledged that the Eagles’ offense underperformed throughout the season. 

But he pushed back strongly against the idea that Patullo should shoulder the responsibility alone. 

According to Kelce, the issues were far more about execution than scheme. 

“I know it wasn’t the best performance this year offensively,” Kelce said. 

“They had their chances to win that game yesterday, and they, the players, didn’t make the plays.” 

Kelce also credited San Francisco for capitalizing when opportunities presented themselves, highlighting the contrast between the two teams. 

Kelce believed it came down to execution. 

He praised what the 49ers have built under head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. 

“What Robert Saleh did with that defense is commendable,” Kelce said. 

“What they’ve done to get to here is absolutely a testament to that organization and how well they’re built and how they function across the board.” 

Kelce reiterated that Philly had multiple chances to swing the game but the players failed to execute. 

“You tip your cap to them,” Kelce said. “But Philly had their opportunities.”

Off-Field Distractions Plagued Eagles 

Beyond execution, Kelce suggested that the Eagles struggled with handling the noise. 

According to Kelce, the team didn’t deal with off-field distractions, narratives, and internal pressure nearly as well as it had during its Super Bowl run the previous season.

“It never felt like they were able to come together this year and realize it’s about us,” Kelce said. 

“Focus on your job.”

He pointed to the constant swirl of storylines surrounding the team. 

“All these narratives out there,” Kelce continued. “I didn’t think they handled it as well this year as they did last season.”

The sky high expectations put on the Eagles to win back-to-back Super Bowls caused many distractions throughout the season. 

Players, especially A.J. Brown, embodied a “me” over “we” mentality, expressing his frustrations to the media multiple times this season. 

That was spotlighted on the field yesterday when Brown and Nick Sirianni got into a screaming match on the sideline. 

As Philadelphia enters a critical offseason filled with uncertainty, Kelce’s comments offer a clear message that coaching can be scrutinized, but accountability starts in the locker room.

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