After Ed O’Neill’s Birthday Clip Astonished Travis Kelce, Chiefs TE Responds With Wholesome Message for Modern Family Star

Travis Kelce, Ed O’Neil, and his legendary character Al Bundy have a classic interrelation. In a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Ed O’Neill, the legendary actor known for his iconic roles in “Married… with Children” and “Modern Family,” revealed this unexpected connection to the gridiron world, which might have left many feeling nostalgic or astonished.

O’Neill reminisced about sending a faux congratulatory video to Kansas City Chiefs‘ superstar tight end Travis Kelce, drawing parallels to his famous character Al Bundy’s four-touchdown game.

“I did a little video for his birthday once,” O’Neill shared, recounting how his “Modern Family” co-star and die-hard Chiefs fan Eric Stonestreet orchestrated the surprise back in 2022. “I was in a trailer at the time in that T-shirt and boxer shorts, waiting to go to a shot, and I did the video like that, congratulating him on beating my record at Polk High but not really happy about it.”

Kelce, known for his infectious personality and love for all things pop culture, was utterly astonished by O’Neill’s hilarious nod to Bundy’s legendary on-field exploits. In a heartwarming response, the Chiefs’ touchdown machine commented with a GIF of the iconic Al Bundy throwing a football, a moment he had also shared back in 2022, captioned “Beyond awesome!! Still got the video saved in my phone!”

The candid and light-hearted gesture resonated with fans, showcasing the camaraderie between the entertainment world and professional sports. Let’s not forget the iconic Kelce record that started this unlikely friendship.

A trip down memory lane to Travis Kelce’s comparison with Ed O’Neill’s Bundy

This heartwarming interaction between Kelce and O’Neill traces back to a memorable “Monday Night Football” clash in 2022 when the Chiefs’ star tight end achieved a rare feat – scoring four touchdowns in a single game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Kelce’s stat line that night was straight out of a storybook: seven catches for a mere 25 yards, but an astounding four trips to the end zone.

In the aftermath of his record-setting performance, Kelce couldn’t help but draw comparisons to the iconic Al Bundy, the lovable underachiever from the classic sitcom “Married… with Children.” Bundy’s crowning achievement? Scoring four touchdowns in a single high school football game back in 1966.

Embracing the parallel with open arms, Kelce took to social media, proclaiming, “AL BUNDY has been my role model since I was a kid.” When fans started making the connection on Twitter, the Chiefs’ tight end welcomed the comparison, calling the fictional character played by Ed O’Neill a “role model.”

And just like that, the seeds of an unlikely friendship were sown, one that celebrated the shared love for football and pop culture between the NFL superstar and the veteran actor. O’Neill, no stranger to scoring touchdowns himself, reprised his iconic Bundy role to congratulate Kelce on matching his “feat.” in a candid video with Eric Stonestreet.

“Travis, Al Bundy here. Just want to congratulate you on the four touchdowns in one game last night. Tying my record that I never thought would be broached when I scored four in 1966 against Andrew Johnson High School against my arch rival ‘Spare Tire’ Bubba Dixon,” O’Neill, in character as the curmudgeonly yet endearing Bundy, quipped. “Anyway, after that, as you probably know, I’ve had great successes. I’m living in a trailer now, unfortunately, down by the river. Good Luck.”

Kelce couldn’t hold back his excitement and he replied: “You can’t make this stuff up… love it when life comes full circle!!” Kelce exclaimed on Instagram, tagging Stonestreet. “Thanks for knowing a guy!” Meanwhile the veteran actor’s football journey, however, extended far beyond his memorable on-screen persona. After a collegiate career at Ohio University and Youngstown State, where he even faced off against the legendary Roger Staubach, O’Neill briefly joined the Pittsburgh Steelers before being cut during training camp, paving the way for his eventual acting career.