The fine springs from an ‘obscene gesture’, the league said Kelce displayed after a 23-yard reception in the third quarter, his longest gain of the game. The play occurred with 4:16 remaining in the third quarter on a 2nd-and-7 from the Chiefs’ 33-yard line. Patrick Mahomes found Kelce over Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean. Kelce picked up additional yardage after stiff-arming DeJean and was pushed out of bounds.
While no on-field penalty was called at the time, league officials later determined that his post-play gestures violated the National Football League’s conduct rules, resulting in the fine. Somewhat surprisingly, the drive ended with a goal-line interception by Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba after a Mahomes pass bounced off Kelce’s hands, adding salt to the Chiefs’ already bleak day.
This fine is part of a broader NFL crackdown on unsportsmanlike behavior. According to Pelissero, Week 2 alone saw seven fines totaling $92,743, bringing the season’s total through three weeks to over $200,000.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was also fined $46,371 for lowering his helmet to strike Chiefs DB Chamarri Conner, a move not flagged during the game. Other notable fines in Week 2 included New York Giants OL James Hudson ($12,172) and Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb ($14,491).
Kelce has a history of fines for unsportsmanlike conduct. In last season’s AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills, he was fined $11,255 for taunting. The 34-year-old has also previously drawn penalties for on-field gestures, including a $14,069 fine in 2024 for a celebratory dunk of the ball over the crossbar honoring Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.
Through two games this season, Kelce has tallied six catches for 108 yards and one touchdown. His Week 2 performance against the Eagles included four receptions for 61 yards, but the bobbled end-zone pass that led to Mukuba’s interception overshadowed his contributions. Alongside his own snafus, Kelce was involved in an accidental collision in Week 1 that injured wide receiver Xavier Worthy, making life harder for the Kansas City offense.
Sitting at 0-2, the Chiefs hope to bounce back when they face the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football in Week 3.
