
January 23, 2025
In Thursday's episode of 'No Gonna Lie,' Kylie Kelce offers tips to supporting a football obsessed spouse. She is picture above with husband Jason Kelce, a retired Philadephia Eagles player, at a Kansas City Chiefs game in 2024.
As celebrity Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid sat cozy in their box seats during Sunday's snowy Eagles playoff game, fans in the stand recorded a quick moment when Hadid comforted her Birds-fan boyfriend during an anxious moment in the second half.
The Philadelphia Eagles are just one game away from playing in the Super Bowl, which for some is the most exciting time of the year. For others, like the indifferent partners of football superfans, it means just a few short weeks until they get control of the TV again. But in the interim, those who want to take a page from Hadid and at least pretend to be supportive, the queen sports spouse herself, Kylie Kelce, wife of former Eagle Jason Kelce, has some advice.
Kelce is an Eagles superfan, so on Thursday's episode of her podcast, "Not Gonna Lie," she offered a few insider tips for husbands, wives and partners who don't care to shout at the screen for four hours every Sunday. Her guidance included the skinny on superstitions, why it's not just a game (to them) and what to do if invited to a watch party.
While she's watching games, Kelce said her antics include flipping the middle finger, yelling and pacing in front of the screen and crying tears of joy and sadness.
"If you're dealing with a similar level of fandom in your home, I want you to know I'm here for you, too," she says.
If none of Kelce's tips sound workable, fear not, non-football fan, the season be over before you know it. In the meantime, we have some alternative programing recommendations for you.
Between the pregame, multiple hours of the sporting event itself and the post-game, it's a long-haul situation on Eagles game days. And even when they're not playing, you might hear your partner shout "Go Birds" while walking around the neighborhood.
"That's that 'Go Birds' bonding," she says. "Don't be embarrassed about that, it's a perk."
Kelce says those new relationships could prove helpful, like a neighbor picking up an unattended package off your porch to prevent it from getting stolen.
Common superstitions include knocking on wood, crossing arms and legs in a certain way, moving seats, standing in a specific spot, making sure a drink is aligned properly on the coffee table, eating or drinking the exact same things every week or watching the game at a specific volume level, Kelce says. While it might sound silly, she urges partners to be supportive and play along.
"We know we're being irrational, but whatever gets us that 'W,' that's what we're going to do," Kelce said.
Kelce compares this tip to the "cry it out" method of parenting, when babies let to cry and soothe themselves to sleep. In the event of a loss, she suggests waiting 24 hours before mentioning the game to your superfan partner – and maybe even longer if it's a playoff loss.
"Very simple, we need time," Kelce says. "Just make sure that you're prepared to give us that space, and if you prepare for it and you don't need it, even better."
The outcome of a game can dictate how the next 24-48 hours go in your own house, the podcaster says. It also can change the mood of people all across the region.
"You know that this has the possibility of lifting up or tearing down our city as a whole, that's not a game," Kelce says. "That's our lives."
Whether you understand what's going on in the game or not, trash talk is for everyone. If you're stuck on where to get started, something negative about the opposing team will be well received without fail, Kelce says.
"You are more than welcome to yell not only positive things, but negative things, as well, as long as you are directing them at the people who deserve them," Kelce said.
As a final note, Kelce shared advice on taking your Eagles fan significant other to a party to watch the game. You really can't expect a fan to be on their best behavior – whether it's their weird superstitions, trash talk or sudden anger – and she suggests giving your friends and family a warning – and maybe a gift or top-tier snack.
"Do not take a crazy sports spouse out of the house into someone else's home and expect that the friends you're going to spend the day with have seen what they are about to see ..." Kelce says. "They deserve a thank you for putting up with something that you agreed to when you said 'I do.'"