Former Philadelphia Eagles center and current ESPN analyst Jason Kelce issued a heartfelt apology on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” after an altercation with a fan over the weekend. Kelce addressed his reaction to a confrontation that occurred on Saturday at Penn State University, where a fan provoked him with a homophobic slur directed at his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, linked to his rumored relationship with Taylor Swift.
Kelce was in State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday as a guest on ESPN’s “College GameDay” ahead of the highly anticipated game between Ohio State and Penn State. While walking through tailgates before the game, which ended in a 20-13 victory for Ohio State, Kelce encountered a fan who began filming him and yelling insults. The fan taunted, “Kelce, how does it feel that your brother is a f***** for dating Taylor Swift?”
In a heated response, Kelce confronted the fan, mirrored the offensive slur, and then slammed the fan’s phone to the ground. This encounter, which was partially captured on video by bystanders, quickly made waves across social media.
Reflecting on his actions during ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” pregame show, Kelce acknowledged his regret and expressed remorse. “In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate, and I just don’t think that’s a productive thing,” he admitted, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “I really don’t. I don’t think that it leads to discourse, and it’s not the right way to go about things. In that moment, I fell down to a level that I shouldn’t have.”
Kelce went on to emphasize his commitment to treating others with respect, aligning his values with the “golden rule” to guide his actions moving forward. “I try to live my life by the golden rule. That’s what I’ve always been taught. I try to treat people with common decency and respect, and I’m going to keep doing that going forward even though I fell short this week,” he said, speaking candidly to fans and viewers.
Jason Kelce’s public profile has grown significantly in recent years, not only due to his distinguished NFL career but also through his family connection to the Chiefs’ star tight end, Travis Kelce. Their podcast, which secured a high-profile deal worth over $100 million in August, has also contributed to his rising popularity.
While it remains unclear if any further consequences will result from the weekend’s incident, Kelce seemed eager to move past the altercation. As of Monday night, there was no confirmation on whether he had spoken with the fan involved, but his apology underscored a desire to maintain respect and civility moving forward.