Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is the subject investigation by Penn State University police after an incident involving a fan at a college football game on campus this past weekend. The altercation reportedly began when a fan heckled Kelce, appearing to use an anti-gay slur aimed at Kelce’s brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in relation to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.
Jason Kelce then responded to the taunting by grabbing the fan’s cellphone and throwing it to the ground, which led to a heated verbal exchange. A video of the incident released by TMZ appears to show the fan shoving Kelce and demanding the return of his phone. During the exchange, Kelce can be heard using the same slur that had earlier been directed at his brother.
Kelce, a seven-time NFL Pro Bowler, addressed the incident during an appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Football pregame show, expressing regret for how he handled the situation.
“I think everybody has seen on social media what happened this week,” Kelce said on the broadcast. “Listen, I’m not happy with anything that took place. I’m not proud of it. 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 that I shouldn’t have.”
According to Penn State’s Public Information Officer Jacqueline Sheader, the investigation remains ongoing. The university police report indicates that an officer observed Kelce damaging the fan’s cellphone, with potential offenses listed as criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
