Third-ranked Penn State lost to fourth-ranked Ohio State on Saturday in State College, 20-13. Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin dropped to 1-10 against the Buckeyes and 1-9 against top five-ranked teams in his career.
Nothing new there. Par for the course for Penn State football under Franklin.
But some knucklehead launching homophobic slurs at Jason Kelce before the game? More specifically, calling his brother Travis a homophobic slur for dating the biggest female pop star in the universe? Kelce destroying said knucklehead's phone?
That's definitely new.
Can’t blame Jason Kelce here… what a loser pic.twitter.com/KTnCA4WjZI
— Tobey Prime (@tobey_prime) November 2, 2024
Everyone nearby whose phone was still functioning captured the incident from a different angle:
Lawsuit gonna be worth every penny pic.twitter.com/6IzgS6F6lt
— Kyle (@kylesixers) November 2, 2024
In this last video, you can hear Kelce say, "Who's the [homophobic slur] now?" near the end of the altercation:
🚨Another angle
— Zoey 🖤 (@LilKittyZoey) November 2, 2024
"Who's the fagh0th NOW" 😭 pic.twitter.com/hHlCMfDSKj
Not a great look from the Eagles legend either, to be honest. But given the circumstances, Kelce's retaliatory use of the word was met with a collective "meh" from most observers.
If anybody has a problem with Jason Kelce retaliating and saying "Whose the f*ggot now?" after spiking that homophobes phone to hell, come talk to me and ill tell you why it was fine and not homophobic. Jason was making a point, he was not homophobic and he gets a pass. Period
— ✂️ queerinthian (@TheGaychel) November 2, 2024
as a gay I think Jason Kelce gets the f slur pass bc “who’s the fa***t now?” to that snotty little kid after curbstomping his phone is the funniest possible response. play stupid games win stupid prizes! #newheights #fafo 🤳🏻🥾
— dev (@faithfuturelwt) November 2, 2024
jason kelce saying “who’s the faggot now” was actually an act of allyship pic.twitter.com/CymudVqgWK
— malia (@softniaz) November 2, 2024
Opinions varied on Kelce's use of the word, of course:
no way i’m seeing SWIFTIES of all people giving jason kelce a f slur pass. idgaf if the other guy started it! jason saying “who’s the f*ggot now” is using the slur as a slur, it’s derogatory, saying that reinforces that being a f*ggot is a bad thing, that being gay is a bad thing
— laura (@melaudrama) November 2, 2024
so jason kelce didn’t care about someone calling his brother a f*ggot bc it’s a slur but bc he takes being called gay as an insult ok
— ceci 🇵🇸 (@problemivy) November 2, 2024
The words Kelce used aside, the internet agreed near-unanimously that he was justified in smashing the phone:
Me liking every video of Jason Kelce smashing that loser’s phone pic.twitter.com/MREFcoa1lm
— Avid Bears Enjoyer (Roschon Johnson Truther) (@AvidCubs) November 2, 2024
good on jason kelce … kid forgot he wasn’t online where there are no repercussions for running his little shit talkin' mouth … part of that generation of douchebags who grew up hiding behind the internet and never got punched in the jaw pic.twitter.com/Gk6VpieL1Z
— Emerson Lotzia, Jr. (@EmersonLotzia) November 2, 2024
me liking every tweet of jason kelce smashing that loser’s phone pic.twitter.com/pXbIgWDcOm
— sof 👩🏻💻 (@allcapsof) November 2, 2024
I mean good for @JasonKelce
— AB (@AB84) November 2, 2024
There’s comedy & entertainment
And then there’s crossing line wit family
Luv u twin #CTESPN pic.twitter.com/xl4t2oZ6t4
I didn't have faith that our divided country could unify until I saw the universal reaction to Jason Kelce.
— Hänsel (@UberHansen) November 2, 2024
Jason Kelce has singlehandedly restored my faith that we can all back the same thing. pic.twitter.com/1JPIz2EGnq
The internet’s thoughts on whether Jason Kelce was in the right pic.twitter.com/UgRol6bfSs
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 2, 2024
Earlier in the day, Kelce was on ESPN's College Gameday kicking field goals in Timberland boots:
Jason Kelce tried out the field goal challenge on College GameDay.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 2, 2024
There's a reason why he played center in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/sE4dUxRqnO
And we naively thought that would be the most entertaining Jason Kelce video of the day?