Travis Kelce’s latest on-field outburst has cost him — both in fines and headlines.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end was fined $14,491 by the NFL on September 20 for unsportsmanlike conduct after making what the league called “obscene gestures” during his team’s September 14 home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The incident unfolded after Kelce snagged a 23-yard reception from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Instead of celebrating with his teammates, the 35-year-old turned toward the Eagles’ sideline and gestured toward his nether region — a move that was quickly clipped and circulated across social media.
But that wasn’t the only eyebrow-raising moment from Kelce that night. In the second quarter, cameras also caught the “New Heights” podcast host ripping off his helmet, slamming it to the ground and appearing to shout, “I’m sick of this s***,” in a heated moment of frustration.
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Unfortunately for Kelce and the Chiefs, the costly game ended in a 20-17 loss to the Eagles. And he wasn’t the only one leaving lighter in the wallet — Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was hit with an even bigger fine of $46,371 for “use of the helmet” after lowering his head before colliding with Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner.
This isn’t Kelce’s first brush with NFL discipline. During last season’s AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills, he was fined $11,255 for “taunting” Damar Hamlin. And in August, the league made it clear they would be cracking down on all unsportsmanlike conduct, including violent, taunting and sexually suggestive gestures — making Kelce’s antics especially risky.
Adding another layer of intrigue to the night, the game was also the first where Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, wasn’t visible in the stadium stands. Instead, she was shielded by mobile barriers upon her arrival, sparking plenty of fan speculation online about why she wasn’t seen on the broadcast.
Travis Kelce’s Epic Blowup Moments Include Yelling, Shoving and More
Still, Kelce has shown he knows when to take accountability for his actions on the field. Just days before the Eagles game, he addressed an entirely different incident — colliding with his teammate Xavier Worthy and leaving him with a shoulder injury during the Chiefs’ September 5 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I owe my guy big time, man, X knows it,” Kelce told his brother Jason Kelce on their September 10 podcast episode. “I felt like s***, I could barely even f****** play the rest of that first half, man.”
“I just gotta be better,” he added. “I’m 13 years in the league there’s no excuse for me running into my own guys like that and being able to play fast and help.”
The Chiefs bounced back with a 22-9 win against the New York Giants on Sunday night.
