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James Franklin Addresses Fan Interaction, Jason Kelce Incident at Penn State-Ohio State Game

"I saw something that I wasn't very, very proud of," the Nittany Lions coach said of a viral video involving the former Philadelphia Eagles player.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State coach James Franklin looks up at the scoreboard during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State coach James Franklin looks up at the scoreboard during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Penn State coach James Franklin on Monday addressed two interactions that went viral from the Nittany Lions' game against Ohio State at Beaver Stadium. The first involved his with a fan after the Nittany Lions' 20-13 loss to the Buckeyes. The second involved former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce, who was filmed smashing a person's cell phone after being confronted by a fan filming him while asking a provocative question about his brother Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Walking off the field following Penn State's eighth straight loss to the Buckeyes, Franklin was confronted with boos from the stands above the Beaver Stadium tunnel. One fan approached the railing above the tunnel and said something to Franklin, who was walking with one of his daughters. Franklin responded by asking, "What's your name?"

At his weekly press conference Monday, Franklin expanded his perspective of that moment.

"I’m really good with it," Franklin said. "Someone screaming at me and my daughter within a couple feet as we were walking off the field, I’m good with that that. That comes with the territory. I asked the young man what his name was. To me, it’s like posting something. If you’re going to post something, post it with your picture and your name and own what you post. And if you’re going to say something, own it. I just asked the gentleman what his name was. [He] started stuttering, backed up and didn’t say his name. So critiques and opinions come, that’s part of the territory, I get it. I just asked the young man what his name was."

Franklin also addressed a viral moment that occurred outside Beaver Stadium involving Jason Kelce, the former Eagles center who was attending a Penn State football game for the first time. Multiple people captured Kelce grabbing someone's phone and smashing it to the ground after the person used a slur regarding his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and singer Taylor Swift.

"Jason Kelce was coming to State College for the first time," Franklin said. "I wanted him to have a wonderful experience. I didn’t get to meet him or see him. I saw something that I wasn’t very, very proud of. I wish that didn't happen. There's also in 2024, I love that that person, there's a consequence to his actions. So can it go too far sometimes, and we talk about the passion and all those things being great? Yes. But that also doesn't excuse bad behavior at times. So it comes with the territory, but that doesn't make it right."

According to the Centre Daily Times, Penn State Police are investigating the incident. Penn State's Nov. 2 police log lists an incident file regarding criminal mischief and disorderly conduct on Curtin Road outside Beaver Stadium. Kelce briefly addressed the incident as part of the "Monday Night Countdown" show on ESPN.

Franklin repeated Monday that he understands fans' frustration with the Nittany Lions' eighth consecutive loss to Ohio State. He also reiterated that Penn State (7-1) still can make the College Football Playoff.

"We still have a chance to do the things we talked about at the beginning of the season, and what our fans want so badly and what the Lettermen want so badly and what the alumni want so badly and what that fan yelling at me running off the field wants so badly," Franklin said. "I totally get that. You do not fill up 111,000 seats without passion and commitment, and we appreciate all of that. Can it go too far sometimes? Yes. Should it be addressed? Yes."

Penn State hosts Washington on Saturday at Beaver Stadium for the annual White Out. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Peacock.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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