New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Khalen Saunders has come forward in defense of Jason Kelce following a heated altercation between Kelce and a Penn State fan over the weekend. The incident occurred as Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce was walking through a crowd before Penn State’s football game against their rivals, Ohio State.
During the walk, a man in the crowd directed a homophobic slur at Jason’s brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, referring to his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift. The fan called Travis a derogatory name, sparking Jason’s immediate reaction.
Jason Kelce responded by grabbing the fan’s phone, smashing it on the ground, and kicking it away, shouting, “Who’s the [expletive] now?” The altercation quickly caught public attention, and a police investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Khalen Saunders, a former teammate of Travis Kelce on the Kansas City Chiefs and the brother of Swift’s backup dancer Kameron Saunders, took to social media to show his support for Jason.
“My brother! I’ve dealt with this problem for years & years. You do NOT need to apologize for defending your brother in any circumstance,” Saunders wrote. “You are genuinely one of the greatest men in this world. And that lame [expletive] didn’t need a phone anymore anyway. & Happy bday Champ.”
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Saunders and Travis Kelce shared notable success during their time together with the Chiefs, winning two Super Bowls in 2020 and 2023. Their bond extends beyond football, with Saunders offering steadfast support for the Kelce brothers in the face of controversy.
Travis Kelce also has a connection to Saunders’ family outside of football. During Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show at Wembley Stadium on June 23, Travis joined Kameron Saunders and Swift on stage as a backup dancer. Kameron has become a viral sensation during the Eras Tour, with several of his improvised dance moves and phrases during Swift’s performance of her 2012 hit “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” gaining widespread attention on social media.
Following the altercation, Jason Kelce addressed the incident on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown.” Videos of him smashing the fan’s phone went viral, prompting Kelce to provide his perspective.
“Listen, I’m not happy with anything that took place,” Jason admitted. “I’m not proud of it, and in a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate, and I just don’t think that’s a productive thing. I really don’t. I don’t think it leads to discourse, and it’s the right way to go about things. In that moment, I fell down to a level I shouldn’t have.”
He continued, “So, I think the bottom line is I try to live my life by the golden rule — it’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 moving forward, even though I fell short this week. I’m going to do that moving forward and continue to do that.”
Jason went on to provide more insight during Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights,” the podcast he co-hosts with Travis. He acknowledged that while the fan’s “dehumanizing” use of the slur deeply affected him, his reaction was not appropriate.
Travis Kelce also weighed in on the situation, standing by his brother while condemning the fan’s behavior.
“I know it’s weighing on you, brother. It sucks,” Travis said. “You shouldn’t feel this much, obviously the scrutiny and the media view on it, and people passing around the videos that are out there. That’s going to make it a bigger situation than, I think, what it really is.”
He continued, “The real situation is that you had some [expletive] clown come up to you and talk about your family. You reacted in a way that was defending your family, and you might have used some words that you regret using. That’s a situation you’ve just got to learn from and own, and I think you owning it and you speaking about it shows how sincere you are to people in this world and shows what you said on Monday night.”
“You don’t choose hate. That’s just not who you are. I love you, brother. I think you said that perfectly.”
The altercation is currently being investigated by campus police, who initially stated that no official report had been filed. ESPN has also opted not to penalize Jason Kelce for his conduct, particularly in light of his on-air apology.
The incident serves as a reminder of the pressure and scrutiny public figures face, especially when their personal lives are targeted.
For Jason Kelce, the situation was a difficult moment, but his willingness to address his actions and learn from the experience speaks to his character and commitment to growth.
