ESPN said it wants Jason Kelce to stop saying 'we' when referring to the Philadelphia Eagles during NFL broadcasts, and the retired center made the same mistake with his hometown Cleveland Browns
Jason Kelce appears on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown
Jason Kelce carried his "we" Eagles devotion to the Cleveland Browns on ESPN TV
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ESPN told Jason Kelce to stop saying "we" on TV, but nobody at the network must have specified how many teams he could claim.
The Philadelphia Eagles legend built a reputation for showing allegiance to his former team for 13 seasons during broadcasts, and now he's adopted the same language for his hometown Cleveland Browns, giving ESPN a new problem.
Kelce dropped any pretense of neutrality and celebrated Cleveland's 4-2 start for the world to see on TV and referred to the Browns as "we" after they beat the Baltimore Ravens to move into first in the AFC North on a tiebreaker.
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"The Cleveland Browns are the top of the AFC North," Kelce said. "I'm from Cleveland. We've been waiting for this moment, fellas. We're finally here."
"We're leading it, baby. We're 4-2. We just beat the Ravens. That never happens," he continued. "We are 4-2, and we're doing it."
Kelce was born in Westlake, Ohio, grew up in the Cleveland area, and played his college football at Cincinnati just like his brother Travis Kelce.
Both brothers have made notable appearances at Cleveland sports events, including supporting the Cavaliers. After a full career with the Eagles that included a Super Bowl win, the ex-center has happily claimed the city as his own.
Kelce repeatedly said "we" after Philadelphia lost to the Chicago Bears. The repetition even led colleague Pat McAfee to joke about the wording live on air, leading Kelce to apologize to Bears supporters.
McAfee later insisted his jab was playful after former ESPN analyst Ryan Clark backed the retired lineman, arguing that his years of sacrifice in Philadelphia gave him every right to keep saying "we."
ESPN analysts Scott Van Pelt, Pat McAfee and Jason Kelce broadcast live for Monday Night Football
ESPN addressed the "we" bias with Jason Kelce
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NFL fans were split, with some understanding the devotion and others believing Kelce should act as an unbiased party, like his co-hosts Scott Van Pelt, Jason McCourty, Marcus Spears, and Adam Schefter do on the show.
Other football fans said Kelce should call games straight down the middle in the booth and speak evenly about them during Monday Night Countdown.
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ESPN producer Jeff Dufine says the crew is still trying to break Kelce’s habit. "We’ve tried to get the ‘we’ out of him," he said to the Philly Inquirer.
Kelce's next commentary gig will be during Week 7's international matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France in Paris.