The moment that sparked the debate
The footage shows Jordan standing behind Reddick’s six-year-old son Beau during the post-race celebration. As the crowd gathered and drinks were splashed, Jordan repeatedly reached towards the back of the kid’s shirt and made small pinching motions before his hand brushed briefly against the back of the boy’s legs. Beau turns, obviously reacting to the contact. There is no hint of wrongdoing in the clip and the child does not appear distressed. Still, once the video spread across social media, interpretations diverged sharply. One user wrote: “This is another level of weirdness.” Another added: “Pulling/tickling a baby at a crowded party can look out of context. Hope it’s just overexcitement but optics matter.” A third wrote: “This is inappropriate unless it’s his child or they don’t have a good relationship.” There were also more hostile reactions. “Straight to Jail,” wrote one person, while another declared: “The goat debate is over. MJ is no longer a goat.” Others went further, writing: “Michael Jeffrey Epstein Jordan is disgusting” and “searches Epstein’s files for Michael Jordan“. Another group of viewers interpreted the clip as harmless. “Apparently the kid is just playfully teasing,” wrote one fan. Another said: “Looks like he wet his hand from a kid’s shirt and then rubbed it on his leg. I don’t see anything weird.” Some claimed the child was doused during the party: “His driver’s son wet himself during the party and he was just trying to help him get it. Honestly, who would want their child to be doused in beer?” Others believed there was a practical reason, writing: “Maybe there’s more to it, someone said ice appeared on the boy’s shirt.” The authenticity of the clip was also questioned. “Has anyone verified this video?” one user asked, while another insisted: “It’s a no-brainer, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
Context surrounding the relationship
Defenders of the moment pointed to the longstanding relationship between Jordan and the Reddick family. Jordan and Reddick share close ties through NASCAR, and the connection extends beyond the team itself. Reddick previously said Jordan knew his father-in-law, former baseball pitcher José DeLeón, during his time in the Chicago White Sox organization. He believes there may even be a photo of Jordan holding his wife Alexa like a baby, recalling, “I saw a couple of pictures of Alexa and her mom… I think there’s a picture, I could be wrong, of MJ holding Alexa like a baby.” Because of this history, some viewers saw familiarity rather than interference. “Oh stop it. That’s the winner’s oldest son. MJ is clearly like FAMILY,” read one comment. Another added: “Normal behavior towards kids. Sometimes you have to pester them to get them to talk to you.” Jordan himself has spoken about the personal meaning NASCAR has for him, recalling spending hours watching the races with his family in North Carolina and saying the sport connects him to home. The Daytona victory therefore carried an emotional weight beyond the competition, which was evident in the celebrations before the video surfaced online.
Celebration overshadowed
The debate unfolded during what was otherwise a great success for 23XI Racing. Reddick only led one lap of the race, but that was what mattered as he took the checkered flag in front of more than 150,000 spectators and hoisted the Harley J. Earl Trophy alongside Jordan. Jordan and the team have not publicly commented on the viral clip. The moment remains a brief fragment of a crowded celebration, interpreted in opposite ways by viewers who saw either an awkward or a familiar gesture.