ThePhiladelphia Eagles managed to keep most of the band together. They made Jalen Hurts the highest-paid quarterback in the National Football League, albeit briefly.

The team is highly expected to be the strongest powerhouse in the NFC, perhaps with the San Francisco 49ers as their only true competition. But paper doesn’t win football games.

That’s why star Center Jason Kelce wants the fanbase to pull the brakes on the expectations, as he knows going back to the Super Bowl could be even more difficult than reaching it the first time.

Jason Kelce Says This Season Will Be More Difficult

“We’re starting, in my mind, from ground one,” Kelce told the team’s website. “We’re starting from the very bottom again and we’re installing all the plays — this is what you have to do. You have to approach it like it’s a completely new team in a completely new year. You keep trying to get better and you keep trying to improve.”

“We’re going to have to earn it the same way we did last year. They don’t just hand it to you in this league,” Kelce added. “In some ways, it’s going to be harder. When you do win and have a successful year, all offseason, all the offenses are looking to steal things that you do well. All the defenses are looking to stop the innovative, creative things that you’re doing so you have more eyes on you. You have more time being spent around the things that you do structurally. We have a lot to prove and it’s going to be even harder to have a really, really good season.”

The Eagles will have a tough path back to the big game, and they shouldn’t get ahead of themselves. So, props to Kelce for keeping his teammates grounded, focused, and ready to earn that ticket again.