In a small cameo in the show Welcome to Wrexham, Jason Kelce is seen celebrating Rob McElhenney’s birthday along with a group of the actor’s famous friends. The episode, which premiered on May 16, highlights a prank war between McElhenney and his cochair of the Wrexham football club, Ryan Reynolds. The episode starts with Reynolds singing a birthday song for McElhenney, with Kelce making an appearance as a nod to McElhenney’s love for the Philadelphia Eagles. It is revealed that the music video for McElhenney’s birthday was created with the help of Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
The voice over in the episode explains how Reynolds mobilized Hollywood talent to create the musical birthday tribute for McElhenney. Pasek and Paul share that they wrote the entire song called “It’s McElhenney” for the occasion. Reynolds jokes about McElhenney not being worthy of the extravagant gift, while McElhenney plans an equally grand gesture for Reynolds—a memorial park in Wrexham. The episode also features a brief appearance by Chris Pratt to announce this gift.
On the soccer side of things, Wrexham is on a winning streak until their goalie Arthur Okonkwo gets injured during a game. Despite initially continuing to play with a jaw injury, Okonkwo eventually leaves the game and discovers he has a fractured jaw. The team’s executive director expresses concerns about the impact of Okonkwo’s injury on the team’s performance, especially after previously struggling due to another player’s injury at the start of the season.
In a confessional, Okonkwo reveals his determination to stay on the field despite the pain he was in, highlighting his commitment to helping the team. The episode sheds light on the challenges and sacrifices that players like Okonkwo make for the team’s success. Despite setbacks like injuries, the team continues to persevere and strive for victory. The episode ends with a teaser for new episodes of Welcome to Wrexham airing on FX on Thursdays, continuing to provide an inside look at the Wrexham football club and the dynamic between its co-chairs.
