A Barstool Sports podcaster has shared a story about an intense encounter with NFL star Travis Kelce, claiming the Kansas City Chiefs tight end once confronted him in a Nashville bar over criticism of his running style. The incident was revealed by Barstool personality ‘Billy Football’ during an episode of the podcast AUDIOCRAIC this week.
Billy Football explained that the tension between him and Kelce began in June 2023, during a Barstool podcast appearance where he openly critiqued Kelce’s playing style. Specifically, Billy told Kelce that while he admired his route-running ability, he thought the player could be more physical on the field. At the time, Kelce appeared to take the comments in stride and even acknowledged some truth to the feedback.
“I’ve been a bit of a critic,” Billy said to Kelce during their initial conversation. “Huge fan of your route running, that’s still true, but I think you could end a couple of those routes by running someone over. Be a little more physical.”
Kelce responded good-naturedly, admitting that there were moments when he could be tougher. “What you’re saying isn’t wrong,” Kelce said. “There are times I watch the film and think, ‘That was soft.’ I am my own worst critic. But there are also times when I stick my f***ing face in the fan. You can’t say it’s every time.”
However, according to Billy, the situation escalated later when the two crossed paths in Nashville. Recalling the incident on the AUDIOCRAIC podcast, Billy claimed Kelce confronted him in a bar, clearly upset about the earlier criticism.
“He was in the bar, and he was like, ‘Yo, dude, I can’t believe you think I’m a fing py, f*** you,’” Billy recounted. “I was just standing right next to him, and it was one of those keyboard warrior moments where I’m like, ‘Yep.’ If he had tried to clock me, I already had this thought—I wouldn’t have tried to sue.”
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Reflecting on the incident, Billy admitted that Kelce’s style of avoiding contact has actually helped him maintain such a high standard of performance at age 35. “He’s not trying to run guys over… he kind of avoids contact, which is why his career has spanned so well,” Billy said. He humorously added, “You can play like a rock-brain and try to run people over, or you can make way more money, be a global superstar, and now have Taylor Swift. Shoutout to Travis Kelce.”
Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has continued to solidify his place as one of the NFL’s top players, signing a two-year contract extension with the Chiefs this offseason, which will keep him in Kansas City until at least the end of the next season.
Despite the high-profile nature of his career and his much-publicized romance with pop superstar Taylor Swift, Kelce’s focus remains on football, as he aims to lead the Chiefs to another Super Bowl victory.
Outside of football, Kelce has ventured into acting and television, recently appearing in the drama Grotesquerie and making a cameo in the upcoming Happy Gilmore movie. This week also saw the launch of his Amazon Prime quiz show, Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?
For now, though, Kelce’s attention is squarely on the field. His Chiefs are off to a dominant 5-0 start this season, and their upcoming matchup against the San Francisco 49ers—a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl—promises to be one of the most highly anticipated games of the season.
