“Right Up With Peyton Manning Hitting the Kids”: Travis Kelce’s Awesome ‘Please Don’t Destroy’ Collab Sets the Internet Ablaze

Ahead of his Super Bowl LVIII appearance, Travis Kelce made headlines for an entirely different reason. Comedy group “Please Don’t Destroy”, with whom the Chiefs star collaborated earlier last year for an SNL skit, took to social media with a throwback video of their comedy sketch. The standout digital short, “Self Defense,” — featuring Kelce’s alter ego, Kurt Lightning — is all about throwing punches.

In the video, Travis Kelce, alongside Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, delivers a performance filled with playful banter. The NFL star is the host of the ‘Self Defense’ class, where the trio comes for a lesson. However, as soon as Higgin settles down in front of Kurt Lightning during the lesson, the self-defense guru punches him straight to the ground. As the scene escalates, his worried friend, Ben Marshall, comes and tries to confront Travis, only to be obliterated by an even stronger punch.

Travis, however, showed mercy to his third student, Martin Herlihy, but with a twist — Martin had to either punch an old lady or suffer the same fate as his friends. He chose the former, but to his surprise, the old lady was nowhere near a weak opponent, who defended his punch easily and slammed him onto the ground.

 

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As soon as this video surfaced online, fans flooded the comments section with praise, highlighting Kelce’s comedic timing and natural presence on screen. One user exclaimed, “Kelce was the funniest guest in a long time,” while another noted, “Travis is by far one of the best actors amongst any pro athlete. Dude is ready for Hollywood when his playing days are over.”

Fans react to Travis kelce ‘self defense’ pic.twitter.com/JjFNy981m5

— Vasudha (@Vasudha46198333) February 19, 2024

However, it was the comparison to Peyton Manning’s iconic SNL skit that caught everyone’s attention: “Absolutely amazing, right up with Peyton Manning hitting the kids.” Fans couldn’t help but draw parallels to Manning’s unforgettable performance, where he played a version of himself, throwing footballs at children in a hilarious comedy sketch.

Peyton Manning’s Unforgettable SNL Moment

It’s been over a decade since Peyton Manning‘s SNL skit aired, but its legacy lives on. In it, the former NFL star, while trying to impart his football wisdom to a few youngsters, starts hurling his football at them and berating them. Adding another twist, Manning starts sipping beer in front of them while discussing things no adult would do with children. Take a look:

Manning, initially hesitant about participating due to the nature of the skit, was convinced only after a child actor’s mother insisted, “I want him to hit my kid in the face,” according to Arizona Sports. In response, Manning quipped, “I said I will do it. I will knock your kid out.”

Manning was all in, making that skit an unforgettable moment on SNL. Even though they used Nerf footballs to lighten the mood, the laughs were still intense, showing how far Manning would go for a good joke.

As Kelce’s video takes the NFL world by storm, once again, it no longer only celebrates his multifaceted expertise but additionally pays homage to the direction Manning paved years ago.