Shaquille O’Neal, a legendary player for the Los Angeles Lakers, conveyed a heartfelt message to Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce as the NFL star contemplates retiring.
“I made a lot of foolish mistakes that led to losing my family, and I ended up alone,” O’Neal shared on The Big Podcast with Shaq. “But that’s not the case for you, so cherish your wonderful wife, enjoy your beautiful kids, and don’t dwell on the past. You’ve got the ring, people know who you are. Enjoy it, because I was an idiot and I’ve talked about it for a long time. I lost my entire family. I live in a 100,000 square-foot house by myself.”
O’Neal expressed genuine remorse for damaging his relationships, as he and his ex-wife Shaunie Henderson divorced in 2011.
It was a generous gesture by the Lakers legend and four-time NBA champion to share his advice with Kelce, who has been with the Eagles since 2011.
Kelce and his wife Kylie have three daughters, and the probable future Hall of Famer could certainly choose to spend more time with them instead of continuing with another NFL season.
The Eagles star, a sixth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, has become one of the greatest interior linemen in football history. He has won a Super Bowl and made seven Pro Bowl appearances.
Despite being a late draft pick, Jason Kelce has been recognized with six All-Pro first team selections, a significant achievement.
Kelce told O’Neal that he is not yet ready to make a decision about his NFL future.
“I think if I still want to play, I’m going to play,” Jason Kelce said. “Right now we’re not far enough away from the last game. It’s emotional, it’s been a long season and quite frankly, the end of the season was terrible. So I’m just going to take some time, rest, recover, and then figure it out.”
During the last season, Jason Kelce was selected to the Pro Bowl and earned another All-Pro selection while playing in all 17 games for the Eagles. Unfortunately, the team was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Philly did reach the Super Bowl in the 2022 season, so it’s possible that Jason Kelce could be motivated to make one more push for a second title in his NFL career.
Regardless of his decision, it is clear that people like O’Neal are supporting Kelce in whatever he chooses to do in the future.
