Happy 39th birthday, Jason Kelce! The Cleveland Heights native turns 39 today, November 5, 2026, and if you know anything about the former Philadelphia Eagles star, you know the party will almost certainly involve his wife, Kylie Kelce, and their four daughters — and probably a healthy dose of chaos, laughter, and at least one dad joke.

Kelce was born on November 5, 1987, and while he went on to become one of the most beloved centers in NFL history, Ohio never really left him. He grew up in Cleveland Heights, and he and his younger brother Travis both went on to play college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats before their NFL careers took off. For Ohio football fans, the Kelce brothers are not just national celebrities — they are hometown guys who made good, and then kept coming back to their roots.

On the field, Jason Kelce put together a career most players can only dream about. He spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, won Super Bowl LII, and became famous not just for his blocking but for his heart, his humor, and that unforgettable parade speech. He announced his retirement on March 4, 2024, closing the book on a remarkable run in Philadelphia — but, as anyone who follows him knows, retirement has not exactly slowed him down.

These days, Kelce co-hosts the hit New Heights podcast with brother Travis, where the two trade stories, tease each other mercilessly, and give fans a front-row seat to one of sports’ most entertaining sibling relationships. The show has turned the Kelces from football stars into full-blown pop-culture fixtures, and Jason’s quick wit and self-deprecating charm are a huge part of why listeners keep coming back.

But ask Kelce what matters most, and the answer is not football or podcasting. It is family. He and Kylie are proud parents to four daughters: Wyatt Elizabeth, born in 2019; Elliotte Ray, born in 2021; Bennett Llewellyn, born in 2023; and Finnley Anne, born in 2025. In other words, Jason Kelce is a full-time girl dad — four times over, and counting the memories, the milestones, and the mayhem that comes with it.

He has never pretended otherwise. As he told PEOPLE in 2023: “When I had a daughter, I was like, ‘I’m not going to spoil her. I’m going to raise her tough.’ And the moment she came out, I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s not going to work.'” Any parent — especially any girl dad — will recognize that feeling instantly.

That is part of what makes Kelce so easy to root for. He is a Super Bowl champion and a future Hall of Fame candidate, yes, but he is also the dad covered in glitter, the husband cheering loudest from the sidelines, and the Cleveland Heights kid who never forgot where he came from. Ohio made him, Philadelphia embraced him, and his girls keep him humble.

The Kelce family’s Ohio ties keep making headlines, too — including the recent buzz around the Swift-Kelce Ohio mansion and its run-in with local tree rules. Whether it is football, family, or real estate, the Kelces and Ohio seem to be permanently intertwined.

So here’s to 39, Jason. Happy birthday to Cleveland Heights’ favorite girl dad — may the year ahead bring more laughs, more New Heights moments, and plenty of time with Kylie, Wyatt, Elliotte, Bennett, and Finnley.

Read more about Jason Kelce’s life and career on Wikipedia.

Photo: Jason Kelce with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. Photo by All-Pro Reels, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.