How Jason Kelce Manages Pre-Game Jitters

Jason Kelce has established himself as one of the premier centers in the NFL during his 10-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, even a seasoned veteran like Kelce still experiences pre-game nerves and anxiety before big games. As the quarterback of the offensive line, Kelce feels immense pressure to perform at a high level and help lead his team to victory. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at Kelce’s unique approach to managing his pre-game jitters through embracing the nerves, visualization, routine, humor, mindfulness, and positive self-talk.

## Embracing the Jitters

Many athletes try to avoid or fight their pre-game nerves, seeing them as a weakness. However, Kelce has adopted a different philosophy – he chooses to embrace the jitters. In an interview, Kelce explained that he views the nerves as a natural physical and emotional response to the high-pressure environment of an NFL game. Rather than fight those feelings, he accepts that they are inevitable and part of the experience.

Kelce believes that acknowledging and embracing the nerves, rather than suppressing them, allows him to channel that energy in a positive way. “The jitters are just adrenaline pumping through your body to get you ready to perform at a high level,” said Kelce. “I don’t try to avoid that feeling or talk myself out of being nervous. I tell myself this is my body’s natural way of preparing me for the competition.”

By accepting the nerves as a normal part of his pre-game routine, Kelce is able to maintain perspective and prevent anxiety from spiraling out of control. He understands the nerves are simply his body’s way of rising to the occasion rather than a sign of weakness. Embracing the jitters also helps Kelce focus that nervous energy into his on-field performance. On gameday, he feels motivated and energized rather than overwhelmed by nerves. Overall, this mindset of acceptance and reframing has allowed Kelce to turn his pre-game anxiety into a source of motivation and fuel for his performance.

## Visualization and Routine

In addition to embracing his nerves, Kelce relies heavily on visualization techniques and a consistent pre-game routine to feel prepared and confident on gameday. Starting on the Monday after a game, Kelce begins visualizing specific scenarios and plays that could come up in the next matchup. He imagines blocking assignments, making the line calls, and executing blocks at a high level.

This mental rehearsal helps Kelce feel prepared for anything that may occur on the field. “Visualization is a huge part of my routine,” said Kelce. “I try to imagine every possible scenario – blitzes, stunts, different personnel groups. If I’ve seen it in my head before, it won’t catch me by surprise on gameday.” Kelce finds that taking 10-15 minutes each day to visualize helps cement his understanding of the game plan and builds confidence in his abilities.

In addition to visualization, Kelce adheres to a strict pre-game routine to feel grounded and reduce anxiety. On gamedays, he arrives at the stadium 3 hours before kickoff to go through his stretching and warm-up routine. He listens to specific pump-up playlists on his headphones to get in the zone. Kelce also spends time chatting and joking with his offensive line teammates in the locker room, knowing their bond and chemistry will be important during the physical battle on the field.

This consistent routine provides Kelce with a sense of control and normalcy on high-pressure gamedays. “Having a set routine that I follow each week gives me comfort,” said Kelce. “It’s familiar and predictable, which helps take my mind off the nerves. I know exactly what to expect and what my body needs to be ready to play at a high level.” The combination of visualization and routine work in tandem to help Kelce feel mentally and physically prepared to perform under pressure.

## Humor and Lightheartedness

While taking his job seriously, Kelce is also known for bringing humor and lightheartedness to the locker room before games. He uses jokes, banter, and silly rituals to diffuse tension and relax himself and his teammates. For example, Kelce may imitate coaches or opponents in exaggerated voices to get laughs. He also participates gleefully in nonsensical locker room traditions like “shaving cream fights” before games.

Kelce believes humor is a vital tool for managing pre-game anxiety. “Laughter is so important before a game to take the edge off,” said Kelce. “The atmosphere in that locker room needs to be loose and fun, not serious or stressful. I like to keep things light and make sure everyone is laughing and relaxed.” Kelce’s playful personality helps create a relaxed environment where players can decompress from the pressure and focus on having fun.

His teammates appreciate Kelce’s ability to lighten the mood. Guard Brandon Brooks said, “Jason is the king of pre-game jokes and antics. He always knows how to get the locker room cracking up right before we head out to the field. It really does wonders for settling nerves and getting everyone in a clear mental space to play their best ball.” Kelce’s humor serves as a release, allowing him and his teammates to shift their mindset from anxiety to joy, excitement and confidence as kickoff approaches.

## Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises

While humor helps Kelce manage nerves globally in the locker room environment, he also uses specific mindfulness techniques in high-anxiety moments on his own. As the pressure mounts before games, Kelce may feel his heart racing, muscles tensing, and mind spiraling with negative thoughts. In these situations, he has learned to practice mindfulness by focusing intently on his breathing.

Kelce takes deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth, paying attention to the physical sensations as his chest and belly expand and contract. “When I start to feel really nervous, I’ll find a quiet spot and just focus on my breathing for a few minutes,” said Kelce. “Clearing my mind of everything else and zeroing in on each inhale and exhale really helps calm me down.”

By bringing his attention fully to his breath, Kelce is able to ground himself in the present moment rather than getting lost in worries about future scenarios. The regular, controlled breathing lowers his heart rate, relaxes his muscles, and clears mental clutter. “It’s amazing how something as simple as your breath can help you regain control of your emotions,” noted Kelce. “Just a few mindful breaths is all I need to refocus and feel ready to go back to preparing with my teammates.”

This breathing mindfulness practice provides Kelce with an invaluable coping skill for in-the-moment anxiety regulation. It allows him to bounce back quickly from nervous spikes so he can maintain an optimal mindset throughout his entire pre-game routine.

## Positive Self-Talk

In addition to embracing his nerves, visualizing, sticking to routine, using humor, and mindfulness breathing, Kelce also engages in positive self-talk to boost his confidence levels before games. Starting on Friday of the game week, he begins affirming his abilities and envisioning success.

For example, in his mind he may say, “I’ve prepared well for this game. I know the game plan inside and out. I’m one of the best centers in the league for a reason – because I work harder than anyone.” On gameday, as nerves start to rise a few hours before kickoff, Kelce will repeat positive messages to himself like, “I’ve done this so many times before. I trust my training and experience to lead me to another great performance today.”

Kelce finds that choosing to focus on his strengths and past accomplishments, rather than dwelling on potential mistakes or failures, gives him an emotional edge over his anxiety and self-doubt. “Positive self-talk is about drowning out the negative thoughts and worries with confidence-building messages,” explained Kelce. “You have to believe in yourself fully to perform at your highest level under pressure.”

By engaging in regular positive self-talk, Kelce programs his mind and emotions to operate from a place of strength, competence and optimism even on the biggest stages. This mindset allows him to play to his full abilities despite experiencing pre-game nerves like any human athlete.

## Conclusion

Through embracing his nerves, visualization, routine, humor, mindfulness, and positive self-talk, Jason Kelce has developed a highly effective pre-game strategy for managing anxiety and performing at an elite level. Rather than avoiding or suppressing his natural nerves, Kelce chooses to accept them as motivation while utilizing various mental and emotional tools to feel prepared, relaxed and confident on gamedays.

This multi-pronged approach has served Kelce incredibly well over a decade-long NFL career spent entirely with the Philadelphia Eagles franchise. It demonstrates how developing mental resilience is just as important as physical training for athletic success. Kelce’s openness about his own pre-game nerves and unique coping methods provides valuable insight for both athletes and non-athletes on managing pressure and anxiety. His mental game is as strong as his physical skills, contributing greatly to his status as one of the NFL’s top centers.