Jason Kelce has faced recent challenges with aggressive fans, but Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has publicly defended the retired NFL star’s reactions.

The latest incident occurred Thursday night after Kelce‘s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles.

When Kelce left the El Capitan Theatre without stopping to sign autographs, one frustrated fan climbed a fence and hurled expletives towards the former NFL star.

He called him a pu**y” and a “sh*t bag, although in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Kelce exited his SUV to sign autographs for the angry crowd.

However, Portnoy criticized this decision.

“I HATE that Jason Kelce got back out of his car and signed this lunatic’s autograph. He’s getting bullied by a**holes. That guy should be in prison, not getting an autograph to flip,” Portnoy posted on Twitter.

Kelce has been on the receiving end of a number of fan encounters

This wasn’t Kelce‘s first confrontation with unruly fans. Earlier in November, the retired athlete clashed with a college student while attending a game at Pennsylvania State University.

The student shoved a phone in Kelce’s face and insulted his brother, Travis Kelce, using a homophobic slur referencing Travis’s relationship with Taylor Swift.

Jason responded by grabbing the student’s phone and smashing it to the ground.

“Who is the fa***t now?”

The incident drew widespread attention, prompting Kelce to apologize during an ESPN interview.

“In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate, and I just don’t think that’s productive,” he said told ESPN.

“I’m not proud of it.”

Despite Kelce‘s apology, Portnoy stood by him, asserting that the athlete’s reaction was justified.

“The only thing Kelce should have apologized for is maybe using the F word,” Portnoy tweeted.

He argued that Kelce was simply repeating the insult directed at him.

“Golden rule was applied perfectly. He treated that guy exactly how he deserved to be treated.”

As Kelce prepares to step into a new role as a late-night host, these incidents highlight the difficulties celebrities face when dealing with invasive or disrespectful fans.

While Kelce has expressed regret for some of his actions, Portnoy‘s support has sparked discussion about how public figures should navigate tense, high-pressure interactions.