February 22, 2018

Mike Francesa walks back comments about cutting Jason Kelce

Retired WFAN host says Eagles Super Bowl parade speech wasn't as bad as he thought

By Daniel Craig
PhillyVoice Staff

Last week, retired radio host Mike Francesa got mad on air about Jason Kelce's now infamous, profanity-laced Super Bowl parade speech.

Francesa, legendary for going on tirades himself during his long tenure at WFAN, took issue with Kelce cursing in celebrating the Eagles championship, and suggested the team should cut him.

You can read Francesa's full comments here, and audio can be found below.

You guys won't believe this, but Francesa had a yuge problem with Jason Kelce having fun at the #FlyEaglesFly parade, and he would cut him if he owned the team. pic.twitter.com/CDZ1Z0nRmh
— Ƒunhouse (@BackAftaThis) February 14, 2018

Well, turns out, Fracesa is now walking back those comments. In an interview with Angelo Cataldi on SportsRadio 94WIP Thursday morning, Francesa said he initially heard audio of part of the speech on the radio while driving and they were "bleeping every other word."

He said he didn't think much of it other than that Kelce missed a great opportunity, comparing it to LeBron James' "profanity-laced" parade speech after winning a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which he said he condemned at the time.

So, when he was asked about it during a radio interview with a New York station, he said what he said about how Kelce should be cut and how the speech was embarrassing. But before Thursday's interview with a Philly station, he watched the speech in its entirety and had a change of heart.

While he still wishes Kelce wouldn't have used any expletives, he said it wasn't as bad as he thought it was and doesn't think the Eagles should cut him.

Here's a transcript:

Bottom line is, I went back last night and watched the thing in its entirety, and I have to say, it was not as bad as I thought it was. I watched it and got to see it, number one. So, I want to be fair to Kelce. Number two, I wish he didn't use any profanity, because it would have been a classic. It was really well done. He did a great job. And I thought it was one that could last and be used for a long time, and I know it's popular in Philly even with the profanity.

But to me, those are such special moments, that I wish they would just raise their level. I'm someone who loves the idea of a passionate tirade. I mean, I lived on them. And I like to see them do it so they can be, you know, used time and time again. Just take the profanity out of it, I know that even he said, something I saw, that he was worried about his profanity and maybe he had missed the mark on it.

And when I looked at it, number one, I overreacted and made one comment. Which really that was only one comment. I didn't talk about it for more than a minute. And it got picked up obviously in Philly where I understand the overreaction, because everything down there is so heightened right now. But let me say, I wouldn't cut him. So, I take that back. I apologize to him for that. And number two, it wasn't as bad as I thought. But I just wish, I just wish, Angelo, that he had just raised his vocabulary because that was a great speech. He did a great job.

Pro tip: Always watch something in its entirety before forming a very strong opinion about it, whether it be a movie, TV show or parade speech. That being said, as much as I ragged on Francesa when he made his initial Kelce comments, his entire interview on WIP is actually pretty insightful and is worth a full listen, which you can do below: