Claim of Travis Kelce refusing to kneel during anthem can be swiftly debunked | Fact check

Nate Trela, USA TODAY
·3 min read
6
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The claim: Coach Andy Reid told the Kansas City Chiefs to kneel for anthem, but Travis Kelce refused

A Sept. 27 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows images of Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and star tight end Travis Kelce.

“Andy Reid Tells Chiefs to Kneel, But Travis Kelce Chooses to Stand,” reads text included in the post.

Commenters on the post appeared to believe it was authentic news, with comments both lauding Kelce and questioning Reid’s purported decision.

“Way to go, Kelce! Stand your ground!!” one commenter wrote.

“What kind (of) person is Andy Reid!” another wrote.

The post was shared almost 200 times in two days.

Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks

Our rating: False

The claim originated as satire, though the Facebook post in question gives no indication of this. There are no credible reports of Reid or Kelce doing what is described in the post.

Claim about Kelce is stolen satire

Kelce has been one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL over the past decade, and the attention on him has only grown amidst speculation over his relationship with music superstar Taylor Swift. And while he may be knee-deep in rumors, the claim of him refusing to protest alongside teammates is false.

The claim appears to have originated on the website SpaceXMania, where a post making the same claim in greater detail was first shared on Sept. 27. However, that article was clearly labeled as satire, and the writer’s biography at the bottom notes he often writes satirical stories.

But unlike that article, the Facebook post does not include any satire disclaimers. A comment beneath the post links to an article from "Viral USA Stories" with identical wording to the Sept. 27 SpaceXMania post but none of the satire disclaimers.

The Facebook post is an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where content created as satire and presented that way is captured and reposted in a way that makes it appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here.

Fact check: Pittsburgh Kneelers? Post claiming Steelers cut 2 players who knelt is satire

The Chiefs did not respond to a request for comment, but there are no credible reports of Reid directing players to take a knee or of Kelce refusing to participate in such an activity.

Athletes’ use of the national anthem as an opportunity to protest or raise awareness of issues goes back decades. Then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick reignited the practice in 2016 by kneeling to protest racial inequality. Such protests have been met with criticism from some corners.

Kelce actually has kneeled during the anthem before, joining teammates in protest during a 2017 game. In 2018, the NFL instituted a policy prohibiting players from kneeling during the anthem but allowing them to remain in the locker room during it.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Claim Travis Kelce did not kneel in protest is fabricated | Fact check