Travis Kelce under fire for wearing “Free 4” tee in support of suspended teammate: “Talk and t-shirts are cheap”
“Rashee isn’t Nelson Mandela,” attorney Marc Lenahan said, but what was behind it?
On Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium, Travis Kelce’s choice of clothing set off a storm almost as loud as the boos from a hostile Philadelphia crowd. The Kansas City tight end, warming up in a white “Free 4” shirt, was clearly publicly backing suspended teammate Rashee Rice. Nothing wrong with that you’d think.
Rice, you may remember, is serving a six-game NFL ban after pleading guilty to two felonies stemming from a 2024 Dallas pileup. Yet on Sunday, Kelce – joined by wideout Tyquan Thornton – made his support clear by wearing a shirt referencing the receiver’s No 4 jersey. The gesture was noticed instantly in Arrowhead Stadium and quickly amplified on social media.
Why is Kelce facing such a backlash?
Lenahan, who represents crash victim Kathryn Kuykendall, said the move was offensive to those still recovering. “Talk and t-shirts are cheap,” he told TMZ Sports, adding that Rice has yet to pay any of the $1.1 million judgment owed to Kuykendall. He accused Kelce and Thornton of making a hollow protest, adding that if they truly believed in Rice, they should “loan him the money” instead.
The attorney also pointed to the wider context. “There is evidence Rashee was going 119 mph in a rented Lamborghini, with marijuana and a pistol in the car,” he said. Rice fled the scene after causing a multi-car crash on Easter weekend in 2024. “Free Rashee? He already thinks he’s getting away scot-free.”
What does this mean for the Chiefs?
Head coach Andy Reid brushed off the controversy, insisting the shirts were a simple sign of affection: “They love the kid and want him to feel part of it in their own way. I really don’t think it’s anything more than that.”
It’s fair to say, though, that the optics aren’t great. Kansas City has opened the season 0–2 without Rice, dropping a 20–17 Super Bowl rematch to Philadelphia in the opener.
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