It’s football season once again, and perhaps nobody knows this better than Travis and Jason Kelce. The Kelce brothers, beloved by fans for their on-field talent and off-field antics, have kept the spotlight on themselves in more ways than one this year. While Travis is still making headlines as a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs (not to mention, the shoutout-worthy boyfriend of Taylor Swift), recent retiree Jason isn’t shying away from the action either. From shirtless stunts in VIP suites to rowdy tailgate antics with die-hard Eagles fans to awkward fan encounters in parking lots, Jason has continued to make waves in his post-football life.
Jason returned to Philadelphia to support his former team at a tailgate before the Eagles-Falcons game on Monday, September 16th. Anybody who knows anything about Jason knows that there’s no such thing as subtlety when it comes to his pre-gaming — especially when it’s all going down in Eagles territory. But his actions ahead of Monday Night Football in Philly might have him second-guessing just how hard he wants to go in the weeks to come. Or, at the very least, he’ll try to be more aware of the power of a pre-game “tummy touch.” Did he cross a line?
Jason Kelce’s tummy touch gone wrong sent a superfan flying
It all started when Jason Kelce brought Eagles superfan Chris Dunphy onto the stage. As the recently retired lineman for the team, he was asked to deliver a pump-up speech to rally the crowd. While on stage, Kelce asked Dunphy — known best for his wild Eagles tattoos — to join in the fun. The pair initiated a good old-fashioned “tummy touch” celebration, but things took a turn when Kelce bumped Dunphy a little too hard and sent him flying back.
While he’s seen walking it off in the video, Dunphy later revealed that he tweaked his leg upon landing. (Don’t worry: There’s no bad blood between Kelce and Dunphy. Despite hurting his knee, he later joked on social media that it was all worth it.) Either way, Kelce didn’t even seem to realize what had happened. After the parking lot antics, he went right into his new broadcasting role during the game. He hopped in during the ESPN pregame show and later spent part of the second half in the broadcast booth with fellow commentators Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
It’s not the only bad interaction with a fan this year
Turns out, this isn’t the only unflattering fan moment for Jason Kelce post-retirement. Earlier in 2024, a fan named Andrée Goldberg verbally harassed Kelce and his wife Kylie during a night out in New Jersey. It all started when the Kelces declined a photo request from Goldberg during a date night out, leading to an intoxicated Goldberg berating the couple in the parking lot in a now-viral video. Goldberg threatened the Kelces “will never be allowed in [Margate City] again,” to which Kylie Kelce replied (per Philly Voice): “I can smell the alcohol on your breath. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
While the Kelces have not addressed the matter publicly, Andrée Goldberg did issue an apology for the debacle. “In a heated moment, I said things that were out of character for me and that I regret, and for that, I am sorry,” Goldberg said (via E! News). Goldberg added that she appreciated the Kelces’ grace in handling the situation. The city’s mayor Michael Collin took it a step further, saying “On behalf of the City of Margate, I’d like to formally apologize to Jason & Kylie Kelce for the experience they had in Margate City over the holiday weekend.” Geez, it turns out retired life isn’t easy, and that’s not even getting into the media circus from hanging out with Taylor Swift.
