Travis Kelce was particularly fired up after he made one play in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and the way the star tight end celebrated has resulted in a fine from the NFL.
The NFL announced on Saturday that Kelce has been fined $14,491 for making an “obscene gesture” during the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Eagles at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Kelce caught a pass from Patrick Mahomes on a crossing route late in the third quarter. Kelce stiff-armed a defender and gained 23 yards on the play. After he was run out of bounds, he dropped the ball and began doing the “Big Ball Dance.”
The NFL fined #Chiefs TE Travis Kelce $14,491 for unsportsmanlike conduct/obscene gestures last week.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 20, 2025
The gesture was … well, you can figure it out. pic.twitter.com/l7ZcuQ6RYJ
The meaning of the celebration was pretty self-explanatory. It originated in the 1990s comedy “Major League II,” though some other athletes have been given credit for making it popular.
Kelce is trying to get back to his dominant ways after what was a bit of a down year in 2024, at least by his own lofty standards. The 35-year-old seemed to admit he was a bit distracted, so it makes sense that he was trying to get his teammates going after the big play last Sunday.
NFL officials simply were not amused.
