Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox Eagles Exits Concern NFL Exec: 'I Don't See It Ending Well'

The Philadelphia Eagles are entering a new era in 2024 after franchise stalwarts Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retired at the end of last season.

In the eyes of one league executive, the loss of Kelce and Cox leaves the Eagles without their identity going into next season.

"I just don't know who they are," the executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando. "I think they lost their identity and lost their confidence. Teams say they want to build from the inside out, but you lost your two staple inside players in Kelce and Cox. Not only that, but those two guys were the culture guys. You lose those guys in a year when the head coach already has his back against the wall, I don't see it ending well."

Kelce and Cox announced their retirements within one week of each other. Kelce gave his farewell address during a press conference on March 4. Cox followed on March 10 with a letter posted to the Eagles' official website.

Both players were staples of Philadelphia football for more than one decade. Kelce was an NFL ironman with 167 consecutive starts at center between the regular season and playoffs dating back to Week 9 of the 2014 until the end of his career.

Cox was a first-round draft pick in 2012 and started 182 games over the course of his 12-year career. He was a four-time All-Pro selection and seven-time Pro Bowler.

Kelce is arguably the greatest center in NFL history. The 36-year-old was an All-Pro first-team selection in six of his final seven seasons. He was a key part of the "Brotherly Shove" play the Eagles perfected over the past two years, even though he wasn't a big fan of it.

Now, the Eagles will go into a season without two of the most prominent voices in their locker room. They are still a talent-rich roster with players like Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley and Lane Johnson.

But there will need to be new players who step up as leaders. Kelce and Cox had been team captains for six seasons, tied for the most of anyone on the Eagles' 2023 roster. Brandon Graham, who is a five-time captain, remains on the team after signing a one-year contract in March.

The Eagles are looking for a rebound season after a brutal end to the 2023 campaign. They lost six of their final seven games, including a 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card game.

Head coach Nick Sirianni is returning for a fourth season, but his staff will look vastly different with Kellen Moore taking over as offensive coordinator and Vic Fangio being hired as defensive coordinator.