Jason Kelce made his NFL Network booth debut Sunday alongside Dave Pasch and Kurt Warner for the Indianapolis Colts‘ matchup against the Washington Commanders in London. The broadcast marked the beginning of his NFL Network 2026 coverage and another step in Kelce’s growing career as an analyst. However, what stood out from the former Philadelphia Eagles center’s commentary were his slip-ups during the game.
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While breaking down the Colts, Kelce mispronounced the name of Colts guard Matt Goncalves. The slip didn’t take long to spread on X. Several fans flagged the mistakes as they happened, and the reaction quickly became a talking point among viewers.
“Can someone from the Colts PR department go let Jason Kelce know how to pronounce Matt Goncalves’ last name, please,” a fan wrote on X.
Other users piled on, with some pointing out that offensive linemen rarely get much airtime, so a broadcaster who is himself a longtime lineman might be expected to get one right.
Mispronunciations are common in live sports broadcasting, though, and they are often forgiven once a commentator settles in. Broadcasters usually depend on pronunciation guides and preparation from the media team, and a name like Goncalves, with its Portuguese roots, is an easy one to get wrong without a cheat sheet.
NFL materials list Goncalves’ pronunciation as “gun-ZALL-vez,” while Pro Football Reference provides a pronunciation guide for the Colts lineman.
One of the fans took a direct jab at Kelce’s broadcast slip on X, “‘Matt Gonclaves’ – Jason Kelce.”
Taking aim at Kelce’s performance, one viewer wrote on X, “I wonder if Jason Kelce knows how to read with how he has pronounced some of the players’ names today.”
The backlash went on beyond Kelce’s pronunciation blunder, with one fan questioning whether the former Eagles center belonged in the booth at all.
“Do we really need Jason Kelce in the booth? He’s terrible. 2 guys on commentary is enough. I’m sure Kurt Warner wasn’t happy.”
Meanwhile, one fan respectfully commented, “Hey @JasonKelce, much respect. But learn how to pronounce MattGoncalves.”
Apart from mispronouncing Goncalves’ name, Kelce also referred to the Washington Commanders as the “Redskins” and had to be reminded about his mistake. The slip stirred up fan debate surrounding the franchise’s 2022 rebranding.
“Jason Kelce just dropped the ‘Redskins’ name, and had to be reminded they are now the Commanders. It’s been 6 years. Kelce literally played the Commanders at least 6 times as a player. He still used the original Redskins name today, in 2026. The Redskins brand was so good, commentators are still using the name 6 years later. What are we doing NFL? What did this name change accomplish?” a fan wrote on X.
Many fans even speculated that Warner may not have enjoyed working alongside Kelce, but there is no public indication that Warner was unhappy with his new booth partner. In fact, the three-man setup was assembled by ESPN for four NFL Network games this season, making Kelce part of the planned broadcast team rather than a last-minute addition.
Kelce is known for his charisma and humor, the qualities that made him hit on podcasts and in studio work after his playing days. He is transitioning from a 13-year NFL career into a profession where every word is scrutinized by millions of viewers.
But this is not the first time Kelce has made a mistake. Last time, during ESPN Monday Night Football, he addressed the camera directly and said he was not proud of his actions. He apologized as he slipped, referring to the Eagles as “we” instead of “they.”