The Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebrations ended on a low note this past week after a gunman opened fire at the Chiefs’ victory parade on February 14. The shooting resulted in the death of one person and over 20 people, including children, being injured. Two juveniles were taken into custody in connection with the shooting. The somber ending to what should have been a joyous occasion was further darkened by criticism against several Chiefs players’ drunken behavior. Travis Kelce was seen in such an apparently intoxicated state during the parade that he had to be held up on stage by fellow teammates. Video footage has been passed around of the player drunkenly attempting to sing Garth Brooks’ hit song “Friends in Low Places.” Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones eventually had to keep him from falling off the stage, and the mic was taken away from him. Kelce was also seen celebrating after the shooting, appearing at the Granfalloon Restaurant and Bar and taking pictures with police officers. 

Kansas City Chiefs player Willie Gay Jr. also got a lot of attention for his antics during the parade. Gay ran the streets shirtless, even jumping on top of a car at one point, and laying down in the middle of the street at another. “Gay set the bar high early on in the parade…” wrote TMZ, “going shirtless, running and dancing — even hopping on a car to give fans a better view of his vibe.” Patrick Mahomes’s wife, Brittany, also shared a picture of herself on Instagram hooked up to an IV. “Saving me always,” she wrote. Although it was not specified what the drip was for, People reported that “IV therapy has become popular in the last few years for people who feel under the weather from illness, jet lag and yes, partying. Revelers may go to IV therapy providers or have a nurse come to them in hopes of recovering from a night of drinking.” Patrick Mahomes received quite a bit of press at last year’s parade after apparently drunkenly giving a fan the Lombardi trophy. It was later confirmed he had given away a replica and not the actual trophy itself. 

Social media expressed its ire against the players’ behavior, particularly in light of the tragic shooting. One user commented, “#KansasCityChiefs out there partying and doing Selfies. Out of respect for the victims, celebrations should have been on hold. Maybe donate some blood instead of getting drunk?” Another user criticized Kelce’s behavior, writing, “One word Travis – Inappropriate. WHY, you may wonder, no respect for those injured.” Fox News, which reported on some of the criticisms, stated that the team had not responded their request for comment.