Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, Charles told host Jimmy Fallon about meeting Kelce while working on Fortnight, the music video by Taylor Swift.
According to Charles, he used the opportunity to confront Kelce over his behavior during the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 AFC Championship win against Charles’ hometown team, the Baltimore Ravens.
“That year they beat us in the AFC Championship game — they beat the Ravens — he was a real jerk that year,” said Charles, best known for his role on The Good Wife. “So when I met him, I told him, ‘I always liked you, but that year you were kind of a d***.’”
Rather than being offended, Kelce reportedly laughed it off — and even agreed. Charles said the tight end explained he needed to bring extra swagger to that game, a mindset that ultimately paid off as the Chiefs went on to win. Charles admitted the tactic worked, adding that Kelce clearly got inside the Ravens’ heads.
Despite the jab, there was no bad blood. Charles emphasized that his respect for Kelce remains strong.
“He was actually great,” Charles said. “We talked all kinds of football. Such a good dude. I really liked him a lot.”
Kelce and Swift famously began dating in the summer of 2023, and fans had long speculated that the NFL star was present while Swift filmed the “Fortnight” video. Actor Ethan Hawke later joked in a September 2025 interview that Kelce and Charles had clashed on set — but as Charles’ story makes clear, it was all friendly banter.
In the end, even a little trash talk couldn’t dent the mutual respect — proving that sometimes calling it like you see it can still end in good vibes.
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