Jason Kelce was unfazed about being dad-shamed in August when some social media users accused the Eagles center of “playing fetch” with his kids at training camp.
The 35-year-old Jason discussed the ordeal on the latest installment of his “New Heights” podcast with his younger brother, star Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who laughed off the trolling comments.
“The biggest controversy out of the Eagles training camp, Jason: You were officially dad-shamed,” Travis said.
“You son of a buck. Why would you play fetch with your kids? They are not animals, Jason.”
The NFL and Eagles initially shared a joint Instagram video of the six-time Pro Bowler playing with his daughters, Wyatt, 3, and Elliotte, 2, at training camp in Philadelphia.
Jason’s wife, Kylie, whom he has been married to since 2018, then hit back at critics who alleged in the comments that the Eagles veteran was “playing fetch” with the kids.
“People in these comments saying, ‘He’s playing fetch with his kids like they are dogs!’” Kylie wrote, according to SheKnows.com. “Just say you don’t have toddlers.
“If you listen, you can hear him counting. So technically, they are racing.”
Jason and Kylie’s youngest daughter, 6-month-old Bennett Llewellyn, was not in the video.
During the podcast, Jason explained the game he was playing with his daughters.
“After practice, I’m not gonna lie, not a lot of juice left. All they want to do is run around and play, so I gotta think of something to get them running,” he said. “That day, it was ‘go fetch the ball.’”
Jason added he tried playing catch with his daughters, but it didn’t work out.
“We tried [to play catch],” he said. “They’re not great at catching footballs. All they want to do is run.”
Travis, 33, brushed off the comments.
“There is video that surfaced and everybody, of course, had to comment about how you were playing fetch with your kids,” he said. It’s classic.”
Jason also made light of the situation.
“They [critics] should see me telling them [his daughters] to sit and stay, it’s not much different,” he said.
“I’ll have you know that Ellie actually does think she’s a dog sometimes, and she literally brings me stuffed animals in her mouth.”
The “New Heights” podcast wrote on Twitter: “To all the haters, don’t be jealous that Jason’s daughters got that dog in them.”
The Kelce brothers became the first siblings to face off in the Super Bowl in February when the Chiefs defeated the Eagles, 38-35.
The Chiefs open the 2023 season at home against the Lions on “Thursday Night Football” on Sept. 7, while the Eagles visit the Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 10.
