Kylie Kelce talks autism awareness, new mobile sensory unit at Lincoln Financial Field
Kylie Kelce, wife of recently retired Philadelphia Eagles star center Jason Kelce, knows her last name draws a lot of attention these days, and she's trying to put her platform to good use.
While NFL stadiums are full of cheers, chants and roars, Kelce told "Good Morning America" she knows that setting can be stressful and overwhelming for some people, which is why she said she is working with the Eagles Autism Foundation to create a safe space for all fans to enjoy the game.
"When you are in a stadium and the noise is so loud and so many things are happening," she said, "you really don't have any control over the way the sound or the stimulation is coming in."
Enter, the state-of-the-art sensory room at Lincoln Financial Field.
"To be able to come into this space -- it's quiet, it's calm -- you have all of these distractions that can just sort of send your brain somewhere else for a little bit," Kelce explained of the space.
The Eagles were the first NFL team to open such a space in their stadium, and now 17 other teams around the league have joined, creating similar rooms for their fans.
"Oftentimes, families with kids on the spectrum will remove themselves from situations or not put their kid in a situation where they assume that they'll fail," Kelce said of the significance to adding this space. "I have a personal connection to autism -- my neighbor Tim is on the spectrum. We grew up together, and he has made it so obvious to me how important it is to impact the autism community."
The Eagles Autism Foundation -- which is near and dear to Eagles chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie -- takes action for autism through research, advocacy, empathy, and unity and will be rolling out a new addition for the 2024 Eagles season home opener on Monday.
"We're unveiling our mobile sensory unit in the Pepsi Plaza here on game day, and every event at Lincoln Financial Field," Ryan Hammond, executive director of the Eagles Autism Foundation, told "GMA." "It's just another touch point to create inclusion opportunities."
Kelce said giving back and amplifying kindness has been an important lesson she hopes to pass down to her daughters.
"We are already in the camp of, like, trying to make sure that they speak kindly to each other, because obviously that starts at home," she said.
Kelce also spoke this week about her husband's new routine now that he is officially off the gridiron, noting that retirement hasn't slowed him down.
"He's busier retired than he was playing football. We're settling into sort of our new norm," the mom of three explained, noting her husband's new gig on ESPN for "Monday Night Countdown," as well as a recent issue he ran into.
"He texted me when he made his connection [flight] and said, 'I forgot my garment bag in my truck.' This was on his way to [San Francisco], and I said, 'Great, what do you want me to do about it?'" she recalled. "Lucky for him, his assistant went to lululemon and took care of everything. But this week, it's a significantly shorter commute. If he does forget a garment bag, I can come out."
As for this week's outfit, it's sure to be a hit with Eagles fans, Kelce hinted, reminding them to tune into Monday Night Football for the big reveal.
