‘Absolutely nothing unique’: Jason Kelce was not impressed with the turnout at his lookalike contest

Sure, the lookalike contest craze has been ingrained in the cultural fabric for a long time now (who doesn’t love a good Elvis impersonator?). Still, its sudden resurgence has been a welcome distraction on social media. 

We’ve had every version of these contests imaginable: Harry Styles wannabes, chaotic Jeremy Allen White tributes, and even some disturbingly dedicated Luigi Mangione cosplays. Most celebrities who were “cloned” at these contests have had something to say about it. But when Jason Kelce, the recently retired NFL star and ultimate Philadelphia sports hero, caught wind of his own lookalike contest, his take was downright hilarious. 

Jason Kelce’s hilarious hot take on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown

Jason Kelce, a man whose retirement has awarded us with endless personality-packed moments, found himself in ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown hot seat. Kelce, known for being larger than life, both physically and personality-wise, couldn’t have imagined the show’s next viral moment would come at his expense.

While dissecting the weekend’s NFL drama, host Scott Van Pelt cued up footage from Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square Park, where the Jason Kelce lookalike contest took place on Saturday, Dec. 14. What followed was a highlight reel of bearded contestants, big-burly guys who were, well… bearded and big. Kelce’s response? Classic.

“Newsflash! Any overweight white guy with a beard looks just like me,” he said while leaning back and shaking his head, clearly amused. “It’s an easy competition. There is absolutely nothing unique about any of these gentlemen other than they are large people with beards.”

But there was one contestant who made Kelce pause — a bearded guy in a Fair Isle zip-up sweater who looked eerily similar.“That guy is spot on,” Kelce said, pointing to the screen with mock seriousness. “That’s my new profile picture.” And true to his word, Kelce actually changed his profile picture on social media to the lookalike. The eventual winner of the contest was crowned, a guy in a maroon sweater, and let’s just say not everyone agreed with that choice. Jason, for one, certainly didn’t hold back. With a grin, Kelce made a light-hearted confession-based joke that had everyone cracking up.

“I got a confession: That is actually me, guys. I came to my own lookalike contest,” he said, pointing at the guy in the Fair Isle zip-up sweater who caught his attention earlier. “And you lost!” Van Pelt shot back, not missing a beat. Laughing, Kelce doubled down on the joke. “And, I lost, came in second.”

Hilarious poses, ripped tees, and beer smashes

The clip didn’t end there; the Jason Kelce lookalike contest gave us exactly the kind of chaos you’d expect from a Philly crowd honoring their sports hero. Fans didn’t hold back, and the contestants delivered some hilarious and over-the-top performances that had everyone cracking up.

The standout moments? Oh, there were plenty. First, the now-infamous “ripping of the shirt” bit. If you’re wondering why contestants channeled their inner WWE superstar, you might need a refresher on Kelce’s legendary shirtless Super Bowl parade moment. Some fans also went for the “smash a beer can on your head” approach (a tribute to Kelce’s unapologetically Philly energy), while others chose the macho power stance or reenacted Kelce’s epic diving celebrations.

The footage quickly made its way across social media, where fans, athletes, and sports commentators ed in on the fun. Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown even jumped into the mix, posting a picture on X that showed a full Santa Claus getup with the caption: “You’re telling me this isn’t Jason Kelce??” Later in the show, Kelce took the jokes even further, lamenting how disheartening it was to discover that “thousands of people” apparently look just like him.  And honestly? The man has a point.