Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Jason Kelce has been filmed smashing a fan’s phone on the ground and exchanging a homophobic slur with them after they heckled him about his brother, Travis, who is dating Taylor Swift.
In now-viral footage shared on X/Twitter on Saturday 2 November, the retired American football star, 36, can be seen walking outside Beaver Stadium in Pennsylvania while fans surround him.
One person shared footage of them trying to get a fist bump from the star, and in the background of the video, another man can be heard yelling: “Hey, Kelce. How does it feel your brother’s a f****** dating Taylor Swift?”
Jason then turns around, yanks the man’s phone out of his hands and smashes it on the ground.
Another video shows Jason shouting at the man: “Who’s the f****** now?”
Jason, who is a commentator for ESPN, was at the stadium to appear on ESPN’s “College GameDay” to promote Penn State’s home football game against Ohio State University.
The Independent has contacted Jason and ESPN for comment.
Jason’s brother, American footballer Travis, has been dating Taylor Swift since summer 2023.
The brothers are very close, hosting the popular podcast New Heights together.
In June, Jason and his family travelled to London for Swift’s concerts at Wembley Stadium.
Jason has previously shared how he’s a big fan of Swift. While addressing the ongoing attention surrounding Travis and Swift, Jason called the Grammy winner “immensely talented,” and gushed over how she’s a “unbelievable role model for young women across the globe”.
“She’s a world star, she’s the quintessential, you know, artist right now in the world,” he said, during an interview with WCPO 9 in February. “I think that the NFL would probably be foolish not to, you know, show her and… be a role model for all the young girls out there.”
In June, he appeared to address the pressures of being in the public eye, confessing that while he thought life had become “crazy” for him and his wife Kylie since his brother started his relationship with the pop star, “Travis and Taylor have taken it to another level.”
“Kylie and I think we have it bad and then we go hang out with one of them for a second,” he explained during an appearance on the Whiskey Ginger podcast in June. “This is a whole other situation here. You can’t be a normal person at that point.”