Jason Kelce was in the stands cheering on his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, as they took on the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo during an AFC Divisional clash in January. After Travis scored a touchdown in the second quarter to put the Chiefs up 13-10, big brother Jason celebrated by cheering and flexing with all his might—shirtless, beer in hand, and right in front of Taylor Swift.
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It was one of the most hilarious and lasting images of the entire 2024 NFL playoff campaign. However, it did leave many with the question: How many beers did it take for Jason to go tarps off? While speaking on a Bills-themed podcast with fellow NFL alum Eric Wood last month, Kelce finally divulged the answer. Though even he wasn’t certain.
“I don’t know, man… They were passing ’em out, we were havin’ a few. It would be hard to put a number on it… It had to be… I mean, it was well north of 20. It was probably in the 30s. Then you factor in the game, you’re drinking at the game. I mean, it was up there. It might have been a couple cases (of beer). It was a lot.”
Kelce and Wood were laughing throughout the exchange, as both men couldn’t believe the beer numbers Kelce had put up that day. The former Eagles center added that he also did a shot out of a bowling ball with a guy named Pinto Ron.
Afterward, Kelce spoke about how much he enjoyed participating in that tailgate back in January, even if it was with rival Bills fans. At Kelce’s job with ESPN, they bring him on-location to a lot of tailgates. He mentioned that he has been encouraging executives to let him join in the fun on-air, a la Pat McAfee. But that has yet to materialize.
Kelce clarified that while the game and the drinking are fun, it’s “more about the people you meet”. He pointed out that, as a player, he was never really able to drink and have fun with his fans. Now that he’s retired, he’s taking advantage of every opportunity to do so.
Surprisingly, he has arguably bonded most with the Bills fan base. They are commonly referred to as Bills Mafia for their wild and whacky tailgating and pre-game antics. While Kelce said he’d love to go back to Buffalo and tailgate with Bills Mafia again, he and Wood agreed it would be best if it wasn’t a Chiefs-Bills game. Blood runs thicker than beer, it seems.
ESPN added Jason Kelce to their growing list of on-air talent back in April, after he announced his retirement. His main role is as an analyst for their Monday Night Countdown show. However, he has also appeared on other broadcasts during the season and continues to host his podcast New Heights, with brother Travis.
