Travis Kelce was fined for $14,491 for a dance during a recent NFL game that was deemed too "vulgar," though referees let it slide at the time.
After a 23-yard catch against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, Travis did a dance made famous by former NBA player Sam Cassell. He mimed juggling his own testicles as a taunt to the opposing team.
Officials didn’t flag it on the field, but the league reviews all celebrations after games. On the following Saturday, the league announced the fine as part of its standard round of player discipline.
The NFL classifies certain “unsportsmanlike” or “vulgar gesture” celebrations as fineable even if they aren’t penalised during play. The amount collected goes to the NFL Foundation and the Professional Athletes Foundation, not to the league itself.
During the same game, Travis was also caught telling his teammates, “I’m sick of this s***” before he was off air.
The Chiefs ultimately lost the game 20-17 and are currently 0-2, the worst start for the franchise since 2014. This may be because of a fourth-quarter miscue by Travis, who mishandled a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The bobble allowed Eagles defender Andrew Mukuba to pick off the ball and set up a touchdown that extended Philadelphia’s lead to 20-10.
Former NFL player Shannon Sharpe said that Travis is getting "lazy" on his podcast.
“He’s getting lazy with his head and he’s getting lazy with his eyes. He knows in that area of the field, he has to snap his head. He knows, I don’t know why he is so lazy with his head," he said, and that is a number of "lazy" in one breath.