PHILADELPHIA – On February 25, 2025, with the euphoria of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX triumph—a 40-22 dismantling of the Kansas City Chiefs—still lingering, the franchise absorbed a bittersweet moment: Jason Peters, the legendary left tackle whose 19-year NFL odyssey defined grit and greatness, announced his retirement on Monday. At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman fought back tears as he delivered a poignant tribute to the man known as “The Franchise”—a towering figure whose legacy will echo from Broad Street to the halls of Canton.
Before a throng of reporters, Roseman’s voice cracked as he recalled the 2009 trade that brought Peters from the Buffalo Bills to Philadelphia, where he was then the team’s director of player personnel. “An incredible, incredible player,” he said, eyes glistening. “That trade—I can still feel it. He was a monster among monsters. They didn’t call him ‘The Franchise’ for nothing—every Sunday, he gave us peace of mind, no matter who we faced. An elite athlete, an exemplary teammate, a world champion.” Peters, with nine Pro Bowl selections, six All-Pro nods, and a Super Bowl LII ring from 2017-2018, was the heartbeat of the Eagles’ offensive line for 12 years, appearing in 148 games—16th-most in team history.
Roseman didn’t hold back, proclaiming Peters “a first-ballot Hall of Famer, no question.” He reflected, “I don’t think I’d be standing here today without players like Jason. He’s why I have this job.” Undrafted in 2004 as a tight end, Peters transformed into one of the NFL’s premier left tackles, earning a spot on the 2010s All-Decade Team. His peak years—First-Team All-Pro honors in 2011 and 2013—saw him stonewall pass rushers like a brick wall, protecting quarterbacks with a ferocity that became Philly lore. Even setbacks like a 2012 Achilles tear couldn’t dim his star; he returned for four straight Pro Bowls, and when a 2017 knee injury sidelined him, he coached Halapoulivaati Vaitai from the sidelines to secure Super Bowl LII.
But it was the personal stories that broke Roseman. “Jason wasn’t just a player—he inspired us,” he choked out. “I’ll never forget 2011—down 4-8, he stood up in the locker room and said, ‘This is where we see who’s a man, who’s gonna fight.’ We won four straight after that.” Across 19 seasons with five teams—Bills, Eagles, Bears, Cowboys, and Seahawks—Peters amassed 221 starts and six fumble recoveries, but his unyielding spirit left the deepest mark, one Roseman couldn’t overstate.
Eagles fans on X mirrored the emotion: “Peters is Philly’s soul—Howie’s right, Canton’s calling,” one tweeted. Yet another wondered, “He’s gone—who carries that fire now?” Roseman’s tearful tribute wasn’t just a farewell—it was a testament that Jason Peters’ legacy endures, a bridge from Super Bowl glory to an inevitable bronze bust. For a city that lives and breathes its heroes, this goodbye stings as much as it celebrates.
