Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is not holding back when it comes to his thoughts on NFL halftime entertainment.
After retiring in March 2024 following a 13-season career, Kelce has shifted his focus to media work, cohosting the New Heights podcast alongside his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
On Wednesday, Kelce voiced frustration about the repetitive nature of halftime programming, specifically taking aim at performances featuring dogs catching frisbees.
“If I have to see another dog catching a fcking frisbee, I’m gonna blow my brains out,” Kelce said during a podcast segment.
He added, “Where is the creativity? If there was one of them, it’d be really cool. Or if the dog jumped over like a flaming bridge, I’d be all in.
“But it’s just it’s not that exciting to me. I can go to any park and watch some d**khead play catch with a frisbee and his dog.”
A dog eat dog world
The comments come amid growing discussions around NFL halftime shows and fan engagement.
Traditionally, teams hire professional stunt dog groups to perform tricks and entertain the crowd during the break. Acts such as The Canine Stars, as well as viral performers like Frisbee Rob and Sailor the Touchdown Dog, have become staples in stadiums nationwide.
These acts sometimes even set records for long-distance catches, drawing social media attention and occasional television coverage.
Despite the popularity and viral appeal of these performances, Kelce‘s remarks highlight a tension between traditional fan entertainment and expectations from former players and analysts.
He emphasized that while the acts can be impressive, they lack the kind of creativity that captures broader interest beyond the stadium.
Tradition and innovation in NFL halftime shows
NFL halftime shows have long walked the line between spectacle and tradition. Over the years, the league has experimented with celebrity performances, marching bands, and themed shows designed to appeal to families, but the dog acts have proven surprisingly enduring.
According to a report from USA Today, teams often book professional canine stunt groups because they are consistent, reliable, and offer a “safe” form of entertainment that avoids the logistical complications of celebrity acts or pyrotechnics.
Kelce‘s critique points to a larger conversation in sports entertainment about innovation and audience engagement.
As noted by Forbes, fans increasingly turn to social media for highlights, meaning that halftime entertainment needs to offer unique, sharable moments to stand out.
Veteran players like Kelce, who have spent years performing under stadium lights, are in a unique position to offer insider perspective. Their take reflects a desire for programming that pushes boundaries and delivers memorable, unpredictable moments.
Whether this sentiment will influence NFL halftime planning remains to be seen, but it demonstrates that even well-loved acts can face scrutiny from those who understand the game and its audience intimately.
For now, dogs catching frisbees remain a staple, but voices like Kelce‘s suggest fans and insiders alike may be ready for halftime entertainment that takes bigger creative risks in future seasons.
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