Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has been fined $14,491 by the NFL for making an obscene gesture during the team’s 20-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on September 14.
The tight end celebrated a 23-yard gain by gesturing toward his groin area “in an animated fashion.” While on-field officials did not call a penalty, league offices later determined the action violated NFL rules against gestures deemed “unsportsmanlike, violent, and sexually suggestive.”
The fine is a drop in the bucket for Kelce, who reportedly earns $17.25 million annually from football alone, excluding sponsorships and advertising deals. Fellow NFL star Saquon Barkley was also fined $46,371 for unnecessary roughness.
Fans took to social media to react to Kelce’s fine, with many calling it excessive. One tweeted: “Imagine getting fined for an amount you make in 15 seconds,” while another added, “So he was fined for celebrating a catch? Got it.”
The news comes shortly after Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, drew attention for arriving at an Arrowhead Stadium game behind a $6,000 bullet-resistant shield, sparking questions about privacy and security following the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk.
