In this week’s cover story, Donna Kelce, the mother of NFL players, tells PEOPLE, “It’s been a fun ride to be on.”

It was difficult not to sense the end of an era on Monday night as Philadelphia Eagles supporters watched the clock run out on their team’s season and saw star center Jason Kelce appear to be considering hanging up his cleats as tears welled up in his eyes. 

Thirteen seasons. seven Pro Bowl appearances. All-Pro for six times. One NFL Super Bowl. One podcast that ranks #1. and one Sexiest Man Alive title,” noted ESPN pundit Pat McAfee, listing Jason’s professional achievements, the next day on his show. “What a run…,” 

Even though Jason may have reached the end of his NFL career, the Brothers Kelce are far from finished with “the run.”

If the dizzying hype surrounding Kelce Mania was ignited by last February’s Super Bowl LVII, where Travis’ Kansas City Chiefs defeated Jason’s Eagles, it has only been intensified in the months that have followed. These include their chart-topping New Heights podcast, the record-breaking Kelce documentary on Amazon Prime, a plethora of endorsements, and Travis’ high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift, which helped increase the number of female viewers of the NFL by over 2 million. 

Their mother Donna Kelce, 71, describes the event from her distinct perspective to PEOPLE: “It’s been really surreal and a fun ride to be on.”

Being able to spend time with my children and appreciate new experiences, locations, and people. And since it was a difficult journey for them to get to where they are now, I’m delighted that they can now enjoy the rewards of their effort.

Father Ed Kelce, 72, thinks that smooth brotherly banter is nothing new. The Kelces’ success can be attributed to their easy charisma and undeniable sincerity as well as their unwavering readiness to make jokes about what their own scented candle might smell like. 

He told PEOPLE in October of last year, “I’ve been listening to the shtick between these [two] since they were toddlers.” “They have always interacted the way they do on the podcast. And I’ve always enjoyed watching that.

Growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Jason and Travis participated in many sports and occasionally got into well-meaning mischief, such as when a bocce ball became stuck in the family car’s windshield. “When they were growing up, those kinds of things happened all the time,” acknowledges Donna. However, they acquired a fierce sense of loyalty to one another from their parents. 

According to Donna, “my brother and my husband’s sister didn’t have any kids.” “They used to yell at me because they didn’t have any cousins to play with on Christmas,” said Jason and Travis. We had a close-knit group and constantly looked out for one another.

“My entire upbringing [was about learning] to fuel people,” Travis said to others in April of last year about the lessons he learned from his parents, who stayed together for the benefit of their children until Travis departed to attend University of Cincinnati to join Jason. I was raised to be a source of abundance rather than a source of depletion, and to give rather than take. 

Get the best of PEOPLE, from captivating human interest stories to juicy celebrity news, by subscribing to their free daily newsletter. Don’t miss a story.

These days, both Jason and Travis have a lot to offer, including much to dedicate to second acts when the time comes. Their increasing media empires and interests in everything from a Missouri cattle farm to F1 Racing (Travis) demonstrate this.

The management team of Travis recently shared with The New York Times their goal of making the nine-time Pro Bowl tight end as “famous as the Rock,” alluding to Dwayne Johnson’s rise from WWE star to A-list actor. 

Regarding Travis’s hosting gig from March 2023, a source tells PEOPLE that “he really enjoyed Saturday Night Live.” “He felt ecstatic. He intends to pursue acting and hosting after retirement.

Until then, Travis will keep honing his charm in front of Jason, the most deserving opponent, on the New Heights podcast. “They’re constantly teasing each other about who’s the best, just like adults today,” Donna laughs. “It never stops. They genuinely adore one another.