Jason Kelce has avoided criminal charges stemming from a viral phone-smashing incident at Penn State University, campus police confirmed this week.

The altercation happened on Nov. 2 outside Beaver Stadium before Penn State's football game against The Ohio State University.

Kelce, the popular retired Philadelphia Eagles center of the NFL and current ESPN commentator, was followed and heckled by a fan who reportedly used a homophobic slur while referencing Kelce's younger brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his relationship with Taylor Swift.

In videos shared online, the fan can be seen shouting at Kelce, who eventually turned around, grabbed the fan's phone, and slammed it to the ground. Kelce then repeated the slur back to the fan, picked up the phone, and walked away.

This week, Penn State Campus Police spokesperson Jacqueline Sheader said the investigation into the incident is now closed, per People. "The individual in the video footage circulating on social media has not been identified, and no one has come forward to University Police with a related complaint about damage to personal property," she said.

The incident quickly became a hot topic online, with many debating Kelce's reaction. The 37-year-old addressed the situation days later on his New Heights podcast, co-hosted with Travis.

"I'm not happy about the situation," Jason admitted. "Me reacting gave him the time of day and also gave the situation notoriety. That's what I regret. It didn't deserve attention — it's really stupid."

Kelce also expressed regret for using the slur, calling it "off the wall" and "over the line." Reflecting on his response, the Cleveland, Ohio, native added, "If I had just kept walking, it would've been a nothingburger. But now, it's out there, and it perpetuates more hate."

Travis, who empathized with his older brother's frustration, defended Jason's intent to stand up for his family while encouraging him to learn from the situation. "That's a situation you just gotta kind of own," Travis said on the show. "I think you speaking about it shows how sincere you are to a lot of people in this world. You don't choose hate — that's not who you are."

Jason echoed those sentiments during an appearance on Monday Night Football. He admitted the fan's slur was "dehumanizing" and explained his initial reaction: "I thought, 'Hey, what can I say back to him? I'm gonna throw this right back in his face.' " However, he acknowledged that responding in anger wasn't productive.

Related
Tags
Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce