Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, came to Jason Kelce’s defense after an unpleasant confrontation with an unruly fan outside “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” escalated Thursday night. The scene turned ugly when the former NFL star declined to sign autographs, leading to an intense outburst from some frustrated individuals waiting outside the studio.
Kelce, who had just wrapped up his guest appearance on the late-night talk show, exited Los Angeles’ El Capitan Theatre and headed straight to his vehicle. Despite the crowd of fans gathered outside hoping for autographs, the retired Philadelphia Eagles legend opted not to stop, which triggered a heated response from a few in the crowd.
In particular, one man seemed to take extreme offense at Kelce’s decision to leave without signing. The fan climbed up a fence and began shouting profanities at Kelce, hurling insults like “p—y” and “s–t bag” in a loud and aggressive tone. The encounter escalated quickly, and the situation became visibly tense as the fan continued his tirade.
Despite the abuse, Kelce eventually decided to get out of his SUV and approach the crowd, apparently aiming to diffuse the hostile situation by offering autographs to calm things down. While this may have seemed like the diplomatic move in the heat of the moment, Dave Portnoy had a different opinion.
Portnoy took to social media on Friday to voice his thoughts on the incident, criticizing Kelce’s decision to appease the fan. Sharing his reaction on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Portnoy expressed frustration at seeing Kelce submit to what he perceived as bullying tactics.
“I HATE that Jason Kelce got back out of his car and signed this lunatic’s autograph,” Portnoy posted in response to a video clip showing the altercation. “He’s getting bullied by a–holes. That guy should be in prison, not getting an autograph to flip.”
Portnoy’s post echoed the sentiments of many who felt that Kelce was being unfairly harassed, and that his decision to leave the safety of his car to appease the aggressive fan set a troubling precedent.
In Portnoy’s view, giving in to the fan’s bullying not only emboldened bad behavior but also sent the wrong message about respecting personal boundaries, especially for public figures.
The incident comes on the heels of another confrontation involving Jason Kelce and an aggressive fan just weeks earlier. During that altercation, Kelce was filmed grabbing and slamming a college student’s phone to the ground after being provoked with offensive language. That video, which quickly went viral, showed Kelce visibly losing his temper as he was harassed while making his way to a game at Pennsylvania State University.
In the video, the student pushed a phone in Kelce’s face while making an offensive comment about his brother, Travis Kelce, who is currently in a high-profile relationship with pop icon Taylor Swift. The fan used an anti-gay slur directed at Travis, calling him “a f—-t for dating Taylor Swift.” In a flash of anger, Jason Kelce grabbed the phone and threw it down, reportedly saying, “Who is the f—t now?” The moment was raw, and it drew mixed reactions online.
Jason Kelce later addressed the incident in an interview with ESPN, expressing regret over his response. He acknowledged that he let his emotions get the better of him and admitted that repeating the offensive slur had only added to the negativity of the situation. “In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate, and I just don’t think that that’s a productive thing,” Kelce explained. “I’m not happy with anything that took place. I’m not proud of it.”
While Kelce was contrite, Dave Portnoy took a notably different stance on the matter. Portnoy, never one to hold back his thoughts, doubled down on his support for Kelce’s reaction. In another post to his X followers, Portnoy wrote, “Jason shoulda smashed this guy’s nose into his brain.” He argued that Kelce had every right to react the way he did, given the circumstances.
“The only thing Kelce should have apologized for is maybe using the F word,” Portnoy added in a follow-up tweet. “But anybody with a brain knows he was just repeating what was said to him. If he called him a p—y, b—h, a–hole, that woulda been the word he used. Golden rule was applied perfectly. He treated that guy exactly how he deserved to be treated.”
Portnoy’s comments reflect the polarized nature of these interactions, especially when it comes to public figures navigating the demands and invasiveness of fame.
Many agreed with Portnoy, believing that Kelce was within his rights to defend himself against someone who had clearly crossed a line. Others, however, felt that Kelce, as a public figure, should have found a better way to handle the situation, even under extreme provocation.
The two incidents highlight the difficult line athletes must walk when interacting with fans. On one hand, their fame comes with expectations of accessibility and grace, even when faced with uncomfortable or aggressive situations.
On the other hand, they are human beings who deserve respect and the right to draw boundaries without being vilified or provoked.
For Jason Kelce, the challenges of dealing with an increasingly intrusive public are compounded by his position in the spotlight.
As one of the NFL’s most beloved figures and the host of the popular “New Heights” podcast, Kelce is constantly in the public eye. His recent experiences serve as a reminder that while many fans approach their favorite athletes with admiration and respect, others may cross boundaries, leaving these public figures to navigate tough, often uncomfortable choices.
Meanwhile, Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift — through his brother Travis — has only amplified the attention on the Kelce family. With increased fame comes increased scrutiny, and incidents like these remind us that the line between genuine fandom and inappropriate behavior can sometimes be alarmingly thin.
Dave Portnoy’s outspoken defense of Kelce underscores the complexity of dealing with unruly fans in a world where every interaction is recorded, dissected, and judged by millions online.
Whether Kelce’s responses were perfect or flawed, Portnoy’s perspective is clear: public figures should not have to endure abuse for simply trying to live their lives.
