A moment involving Travis Kelce before a Kansas City Chiefs game last year quickly became a talking point far beyond the football field. His animated movements during the national anthem drew criticism from some viewers, while others defended the tight end as simply preparing for the game. The debate became even more striking because of Kelce’s own history with anthem protests, adding another layer to an already polarizing moment.
Travis Kelce’s national anthem moment sparks criticism
The controversy unfolded on October 27, 2025, when the Chiefs hosted the Washington Commanders at Arrowhead Stadium. As the national anthem played, cameras showed Kelce standing with his hand over his chest while repeatedly shifting and bouncing on his feet.The footage, later highlighted by ESPN on TikTok, quickly attracted attention online. Some viewers felt his movements did not match the solemn tone of the anthem. Others saw nothing offensive in what they believed was a player staying loose before kickoff.One critic wrote, “Kelce needs to be more respectful,” while another called it, “Disrespect to the fullest degree.” A third person added, “Kelce should of [sic] been more respectful.”The criticism also brought an older chapter of Kelce’s career back into the conversation. Some fans pointed to his decision to kneel during the national anthem in 2017, arguing that his latest behavior looked very different from the stance he took years earlier.“DON’T FORGET, A FEW YEARS AGO KELCE WAS KNEELING DOWN!!!” one commenter wrote.Another added, “But there was a time when he was kneeling during the anthem, let’s not forget that,”Still, the online reaction was far from unanimous. Several people defended Kelce and focused on the fact that he had his hand over his heart.“At least he had his hand over his heart,” one supporter noted.Another viewer offered a more football-focused explanation: “He is getting pump up for the game…i guess you all don’t understand football [sic].” Someone else simply wrote, “He’s warming up. Nothing wrong with that,”
Travis Kelce’s 2017 anthem protest adds another layer
Kelce’s history made the 2025 discussion more complicated. In September 2017, he knelt during the national anthem before a Chiefs game against the Los Angeles Chargers. His decision came during a period when NFL players were increasingly using the anthem as a platform to protest racial injustice and police brutality.That earlier action connected Kelce to the movement started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. At the time, Kelce’s decision carried particular weight because he was one of the league’s most prominent white players to participate in the protests.Years later, the contrast between those two moments gave critics fresh material to debate. Yet Kelce himself did not publicly frame his 2025 movements as a political statement.Once the game began, the controversy surrounding the anthem quickly gave way to another story. Kelce delivered one of his strongest performances of the 2025 season, catching six passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.His third-quarter score was also significant. It was the 83rd touchdown of his career and tied him with Chiefs legend Priest Holmes for the franchise record for total touchdowns at that point.With Taylor Swift watching from the stands, Kelce helped Kansas City secure a 28-7 victory over Washington. The win extended the Chiefs’ winning streak to three games after their difficult start to the season.The anthem debate may have dominated social media that night, but Kelce ultimately left the field with a performance that gave Chiefs fans something much more positive to remember.