A video circulating online has captured former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro center, now ESPN analyst, Jason Kelce in a tense confrontation with an autograph seeker. The incident occurred on Thursday night outside the studio of Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Kelce was attempting to leave the area.
In the video, Kelce, 37, is seen facing a verbal onslaught from a man who hurled profanities at him after Kelce declined to sign an autograph. “You ain’t nobody special!” the man yelled. “You’re some stbag, fking guy that thinks he’s on some pedestal!”
The tirade continued as the man expressed frustration over what he perceived as Kelce’s dismissive attitude, especially given the context of hardships around them.
Kelce attempted to reason with the individual, explaining, “I won’t sign autographs for people that follow where I’m going.” However, the man continued his aggressive rant, calling Kelce a “punk f**k” and even challenging him to a fight.
Despite the heated confrontation, Kelce ultimately told his group that he was “gonna sign” and approached the autograph seekers, including the man who had been yelling at him.
Once Kelce agreed to sign, the aggressive autograph seeker quickly shifted his demeanor, apologizing and expressing regret for his earlier actions. He even pleaded with bystanders not to share the video online, stating he was “ashamed of that moment.” Kelce responded calmly, “I feel you and I appreciate you,” acknowledging the man’s apology.
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This wasn’t the first time in recent weeks that Kelce found himself involved in a viral confrontation. A previous incident saw Kelce react strongly to an offensive comment directed at his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, during an event. In that altercation, someone in the crowd shouted a homophobic slur about Travis, referencing his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Jason Kelce, visibly upset, grabbed the person’s phone and smashed it on the ground after hearing the slur. He later shouted back at the individual, saying, “Who’s the [slur] now?” The entire incident was caught on camera and quickly spread across social media.
Reflecting on the incident during an episode of the “New Heights” podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Travis, Kelce expressed regret over his actions. “I’m not happy about the situation,” Jason admitted on the November 6 episode. “Me reacting gave him the time of day and it also gave the situation notoriety. That’s what I regret. Alright. It didn’t deserve attention. It’s really stupid, and if I just keep walking it’s a f**king nothing burger. Nobody sees it.”
Kelce went on to say that the thing he regretted most was repeating the offensive slur during his reaction. “That word he used, it’s just fking ridiculous, it takes it to another level. It’s just off the wall, fking over the line. As a human, it got under my skin. And it elicited a reaction in the heat of the moment.”
Travis, on the podcast, applauded his brother for addressing the incident with sincerity. “I know it’s weighing on you, brother,” Travis said. “That s**t sucks. You shouldn’t feel this much — obviously, the scrutiny and media view on it and everybody passing around the videos out there. That’s gonna make it a bigger situation than what I think it really is.
“But the real situation is you had some f**king clown come up to you and talk about your family, and you reacted in a way that was defending your family. You might’ve used some words that you regret, but owning it and speaking about it shows how sincere you are to a lot of people in this world. It shows what you said on Monday night. You don’t choose that. That’s just not who you are. I love you, brother, and I think you said that perfectly.”
Many social media users came to Jason Kelce’s defense after the video surfaced, understanding his frustration at the offensive remarks about his brother. Kelce has always been known as a passionate and outspoken individual, both on and off the field.
Since joining ESPN as an analyst in May, Kelce has been in the spotlight not only for his work but also for these public confrontations.
A celebrated figure in Eagles history, Kelce retired earlier this year after a 13-year NFL career, during which he started all 193 games at center for Philadelphia, helped secure the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl LII, and earned six first-team All-Pro selections (2017-19, 2021-23) along with seven Pro Bowl nods (2014, 2016, 2019-23).
As Kelce transitions into his role as an analyst, these incidents have highlighted the challenges of moving from a high-profile playing career to public life, where every action is scrutinized.
While the latest exchange outside Jimmy Kimmel Live! underscores the difficulties of dealing with aggressive fans, it also shows Kelce’s ability to reconcile with people and defuse situations, even when tempers flare.
