Philadelphia Jason Kelce look-alike contest winner says he faced fierce competition
The look-alike contest craze that seemingly began with Timothée Chalamet has, of course, progressed to football, a sport the actor recently proved he knows well with some well-researched picks on ESPN's College GameDay.
Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square seems to be the place for those contests, hosting one for homegrown movie star Miles Teller last month. This weekend, Philly sports were the theme, with a doubleheader of lookalike contests for quarterback Jalen Hurts and legendary retired center Jason Kelce at Rittenhouse on Saturday and Sunday.
A Center City bartender, Quaeleb Monfiston, won the Hurts contest, while Fishtown man Paul Crossley emerged victorious in a close race in the Kelce contest.
"Very tough competition, but I'm happy to just ride this 15 minutes of fame out, you know? I feel like the Hawk Tuah of Philadelphia," Crossley told CBS News Philadelphia anchors Jim Donovan and Janelle Burrell.
Crossley said he works at the Navy Yard and is often compared to Kelce. The comparisons have increased with Kelce's media profile.
"He's more than just a center now. He's a personality of Philadelphia," Crossley said.
The contest results, which reportedly netted Crossley some Bird Gang liquor, were in dispute by the big man himself.
"News flash, any overweight white guy with a beard looks just like me," the real Kelce said on ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown."
Kelce thought a different bearded man wearing a white sweater should have won. He even had a T-shirt for the Ocean Drive bar in Sea Isle City, where Kelce has celebrity bartended to raise money for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
"That guy was spot on," Kelce said.
Kelce changed his profile picture on the social media platform X to show his preferred lookalike.
Either way, if you're saying someone looks like Kelce, Crossley knows what you're really saying.
"He was selected to be the sexiest man alive," Crossley pointed out.
