Jason Kelce Defends Brother Travis Kelce's Graduation Beer Chug

Jason Kelce says Travis Kelce had every right to pound a beer at their "graduation" ceremony last week ... 'cause it was all for a good cause, and for their podcast.

The recently-retired Eagles center responded to someone online over the weekend who kinda criticized Travis' frat boy routine from last at the University of Cincinnati ... where he walked across the stage after receiving a fake diploma, only to pound a cold one right after.

It was all a hokey bit that Travis and Jason were doing with the university as part of a "New Heights" episode ... and it was meant to highlight the fact they never walked back in the day.

Jason highlighted that in his comment, writing ... "I know it looks like a graduation from the video, but this was actually at the end of a New Heights Live podcast that we put on to raise money for the University’s NIL. The university did this to poke fun at my brother and I for never really picking up our diplomas."

The night was packed with more shenanigans ... in particular, when the band hit the familiar notes of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off," proud BF Travis couldn't help busting moves and dancing his tail off.