Retired NFL star Jason Kelce set off an online firestorm this Independence Day — not just with fireworks, but with a patriotic message that rubbed some critics the wrong way.
“Man I love the 4th! One of the great days we all can set aside our differences in this country, and enjoy the one thing we all share in common — that we are American! Cheers to you oh beautiful America,” the former Philadelphia Eagles center wrote in an Instagram post Friday, alongside a video of fireworks.
But Kelce’s call for unity quickly drew heat — particularly because it came just hours after former President Donald Trump signed his massive $3.3 trillion “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law during a Fourth of July event at the White House.
Some on the left accused Kelce of being tone-deaf, interpreting his post as tacit support for Trump or ignoring current political tensions.
“‘Set aside differences??’ One party wants to feed children. The other wants to feed brown people to alligators,” one commenter snapped.
“Being supremely disappointed by a Kelce today was not on my bingo card,” wrote another.
Others simply urged Kelce to “read the room,” suggesting his message was out of step with the moment.
Still, not everyone was critical.
Many followers applauded his message as a rare call for unity in a polarized time.
“I am so super proud of you taking this stand and posting this,” one supporter commented. “There is absolutely nothing wrong in having a difference of opinion… This is what July 4th represents.”
The post quickly went viral, racking up more than 132,000 likes and nearly 4,000 comments by Saturday afternoon.
Kelce, a six-time First-Team All-Pro, has typically kept his political views private — as has his younger brother, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
However, Travis’ girlfriend, pop icon Taylor Swift, made headlines last year for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in the presidential race.
Whether intentional or not, Jason Kelce’s patriotic toast became yet another flashpoint in the ongoing culture war — proving even fireworks can ignite more than just the night sky.
