Shaquille O’Neal Advises Jason Kelce on Retirement: ‘Don’t Repeat My Mistakes’

Shaquille O’Neal had some words of wisdom for Jason Kelce when they hung out recently: “Don’t be an idiot like me.”

Page Six asked the NBA legend, 51, at his annual Super Bowl party, Shaq’s Fun House, at XS nightclub in the Wynn Las Vegas hotel Friday night if he offered the Philadelphia Eagles center, 36, any advice should he follow through on his alleged retirement plans.

“I just told him to enjoy his family,” O’Neal told us.

“Don’t be an idiot like me. I made a lot of dumb mistakes and lost my family, so I just told him to enjoy his beautiful wife [Kylie Kelce], enjoy his kids and just, you know, be happy.”

The former Los Angeles Lakers player was seemingly referencing his failed marriage with ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal.

The exes were married from 2002 to 2011– the same year Shaquille retired. They also share five children together.

In 2022, Shaquille publicly blamed himself for their split, revealing at the time he hadn’t been “protecting those vows” during their marriage.

Shaquille O'Neal at Shaq's Fun House.
Shaquille O’Neal shared with Page Six exclusively the advice he gave Jason Kelce during a recent meet-up. Getty Images
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“Don’t be an idiot like me,” the NBA legend said he told the Philadelphia Eagles center. New Heights/X

“Sometimes when you live that double life, you get caught up,” he previously told “The Pivot Podcast.”

“I’m not going to say it was her. It was all me. … I was just being greedy. I had the perfect situation.”

Shaquille told Page Six that he really connected with Jason because they are both family-oriented.

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Shaquille told Jason to “enjoy his family.” kykelce/Instagram
Shaquille O'Neal posing with his family at a red carpet event.
“I made a lot of dumb mistakes and lost my family,” the retired NBA star added. Getty Images

“Jason is a beautiful guy. I can tell that we’re the same people,” the Taylor Swift superfan said.

“He has great admiration for his mother and father — as do I. He’s a family guy. He’s happy for his brother [Travis Kelce]. They competed. They fought. It’s the same thing me and Kobe [Bryant] did — that’s how you raise champions.”

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Shaquille said he relates to Jason because he’s a “family guy.” Getty Images
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It’s the same thing me and Kobe [Bryant] did — that’s how you raise champions,” he added. Getty Images

Jason shared via the X account for his and Travis’ podcast, “New Heights,” this week that he enjoyed a meal with Shaquille — and trolled Charles Barkley in the process.

The father of three has been juggling podcasting amid his NFL career but it was recently revealed that he may be hanging up his jersey for good after this season.

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