Jason Kelce Addresses Homophobic Slur Incident with Heckler
Jason Kelce has expressed regret concerning his involvement in an incident with an unruly fan over the weekend.
The former All-Pro of the Philadelphia Eagles was in Pennsylvania on Saturday for ESPN’s “College GameDay” ahead of the Ohio State versus Penn State game. Footage shared on social media captured Kelce navigating through a crowd near Beaver Stadium, where many fans sought selfies and engaged with him. However, one individual in a Penn State hoodie directed anti-LGBTQ slurs at Kelce regarding his brother, Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Hey Kelce! How does it feel that your brother is a (expletive) for dating Taylor Swift?” the heckler yelled.
In response, Kelce turned around, snatched the fan’s phone, and slammed it into the ground before picking it up and continuing on his way. Another video made its way online showing the fan pursuing Kelce, demanding, “give me my phone.” To which Kelce retorted, “Who’s the (expletive) now?”
Jason Kelce: ‘Not Proud’ of What Happened
Now serving as an analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown,” Kelce took the opportunity to apologize for his actions before the Chiefs’ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.
“Everyone has seen what transpired on social media this week,” Kelce stated. “I’m not pleased with anything that occurred. I’m not proud of it. In a moment of anger, I responded to hate with hate, which is not productive.”
“In that instance, I lowered myself to a level that I should not have.”
Kelce emphasized his commitment to treating others with respect and decency, noting that he “fell short” of these principles.
The Super Bowl LII champion is in Kansas City for ESPN’s coverage of a game featuring his brother, who is in a relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.