Retired NFL star Jason Kelce sparked a major discussion on personal hygiene when he boldly proclaimed that only washing the "hot spots" on your body was "necessary."
Kelce, who co-hosts the New Heights podcast with younger brother Travis—a.k.a. Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Taylor Swift's lover—announced his retirement from the NFL in March after playing center for the Philadelphia Eagles for 13 years.
The body cleansing debate started when a user on X (formerly Twitter) named Big Soap || Wash Your Feet observed:
"Jason Kelce looks like he doesn't wash his legs or feet."
Kelce responded to the fighting words with:
"What kind of weirdo washes their feet…."
The comments were divisive, with many repulsed by his limited bathing regimen.
One user who claimed they work in an "operating room" desperately wanted to know when Kelce washed his navel last.
Kelce was happy to respond that it's been a while.
And when another user reminded him that "Christ washed feet because He is the greatest King ever," Kelce noted he would do the same given the conditions Jesus had to endure daily.
"Christ washed his feet because he was walking through a dusty ass desert in sandals, I’d wash my feet if that were the case too," he said.
When a user posted a graphic in accordance with Kelce's body washing rule, he said:
"I'm stealing this."
Some abided by Kelce's "hot spots" guidelines.
Kelce's selective hygiene practices left others wincing.
The polarizing debate prompted one user to share:
"Fun fact - there was a 'study' done where they measured the amount of bacteria between those who actively scrub/wash their legs/feet, vs those who didn’t and there was more bacteria on those who actively washed their legs/feet."
However, the tweet was followed by a contextual notification stating otherwise with a link to a study titled "Factors Influencing Microbiological Biodiversity of Human Foot Skin."
"The study done actually had people who washed their feet more often had less bacteria than those who didn’t. This is a direct link to the study," read the context note.
Am unfazed Kelce reposted the tweet with:
"Let em know, from the rooftop."
He doubled down on his hygiene philosophy and proclaimed:
"All of you have been fed diabolical lies that washing every crevice of your bodies and hair, all the time is somehow better or healthier."
"Any dermatologist not in bed with Big Soap will agree!! Hot spots are all that is necessary and actually leads to cleaner healthier skin."
The use of the phrase "diabolical lies" wasn't lost on keen users.
Kelce's use of "diabolical lies" seemingly referenced Kansas City Chiefs Harrison Butker who used the term in a misogynistic rant during his graduation address speech last month at the ultra-conservative Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Butker told graduates at the time “I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” he said before making assumptions about their priorities in life post-graduation.
"Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world," he said.
Kelce continued getting tackled in the comments.
People who found Kelce relatable shared their take.
And when a user accused Kelce of basically announcing to the world that he doesn't wash his backside, Kelce clarified:
"Dude, I said hot spots, your a** is definitely a hot spot. A**, Balls and Pits, that’s it."
@JasonKelce/X
Regarding personal hygiene, it's clear that people have very strong opinions about how they wash their bodies.
Where do you stand on this debate?
Are you Team Big Soap or Team Kelce?
@NBCNews/X
@donny_rover1879/X
@RealCandaceO/X
@joekent16jan19/X