Jan. 7, 2019 -- Heights High School Alumni Hall of Famers and brothers Jason and Travis Kelce are two of the top players in the National Football League. Both former Tigers were recently named to the NFL’s prestigious All-Pro Team for the second straight season.
The elder brother Jason (‘06), an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, and younger brother Travis (‘08), a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, both earned first team honors.
"For me and my brother to both get it, it's that much more special because I still remember us in the backyard fighting with each other, playing football growing up, and we envisioned each other competing at the highest level, competing against the best players," Jason Kelce told the Associated Press. "And for both of us to be recognized as one of those guys is pretty special."
The two brothers were each
inducted into the CHHS Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in May 2018.
Jason is in his eighth season in the NFL and is the starting center for the Eagles, who won the Super Bowl last season. Philadelphia earned a wild card spot in this year’s playoffs and upset the No. 3-seeded Chicago Bears on Sunday. The Eagles play at top-seeded New Orleans in the Divisional Round this upcoming weekend.
Travis is in his fifth season in the NFL. The Chiefs are the top seed in the AFC and host the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round on Saturday. Travis finished the 2018 regular season with 103 catches for 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named a starter for the AFC Pro Bowl team.
Another Heights High alum,
Shelton Gibson (‘13), is finishing up his second season in the NFL where he is a teammate of Jason Kelce on the Eagles. The wide receiver Gibson, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 Draft out of West Virginia, played in 15 games and finished the year with one catches for 48 yards.
On the collegiate level, Heights High alumni
Jaylen Harris (‘17) and
Tyreke Smith (‘18) helped Ohio State to another Big Ten Conference championship. Freshman defensive end Smith played in all 13 games for the Buckeyes, finishing with nine tackles on the year. Sophomore wide receiver Harris played in seven games and had two catches for 22 yards on the season.
Other 2018 graduates at Division I college programs,
Kylen McCracken (Ohio University), LeMaro Smith Jr. (University of Buffalo), and Zaire Webb (Georgetown University), redshirted as freshmen.