Tyler Reddicks speaks out on viral video involving his son and Michael Jordan. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, YouTube/SportsVideoChannel)
Tyler Reddick is speaking out after a video of an interaction between his son and basketball legend Michael Jordan went viral online.
On Sunday, February 15, the 2026 Daytona 500 officially kicked off the NASCAR Cup Series season. The event marked one of the biggest days in NASCAR, and especially for driver Tyler Reddick.
Out of 37 drivers, Reddick claimed victory, earning the first Daytona 500 win of his career.
However, Reddick’s big milestone was soon overshadowed by a moment caught on camera that involved his six-year-old son and his team owner, NBA star Michael Jordan.
Jordan has co-owned 23XI Racing along with Denny Hamlin since 2020. So when Reddick secured the team’s first Daytona 500 win, Jordan was right there beside him, celebrating near the trophy with the rest of the crew and Reddick’s family.
But a clip from that celebration ended up making its rounds online and sparked mixed reactions.
In the footage, Jordan appears to tug at the bottom of Reddick’s young son’s shirt before lightly moving his hand up and down the boy’s leg.
Interesting celebration choice by Michael Jordan after winning the Daytona 500.
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 16, 2026
The video got people talking online, with some saying it was just a playful, innocent moment during the celebration. Others thought Jordan’s actions were inappropriate and questioned why he did it.
Tyler Reddick Breaks Silence On Viral Moment
At first, Tyler Reddick’s team decided to stay quiet about the topic.
On February 17, TMZ reported that they had personally asked Reddick’s representatives about the controversy, but they were quickly told that they were “not going to talk about that.”
Then, on the same day, Reddick finally spoke out about the incident.
While appearing on SiriusXM’s The Stephen A. Smith Show, Reddick was asked about the “media backlash” that happened after his Daytona 500 win.
“From my perspective, I’ve gotten to know Michael and his family very well over the years I’ve been here with 23XI, and I don’t see what other people see when it comes to this,” he said.
He then goes on to say that he sees the moment as nothing more than friends and family coming together to celebrate a victory they worked hard for.
“For me, it’s a huge moment; this is the biggest moment of my career. It’s a huge moment for my family and for his family, and I just put that off to the side and think about the look on [Michael Jordan’s wife] Yvette’s face and the whole family and his whole group when they got to victory lane too, and just how happy everybody was celebrating together. So, that’s where I’m at with it.”
Michael Jordan and his team haven’t publicly commented on the video so far.
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