The NFL Fires Back at Travis Kelce After He Claimed They Were ‘Overdoing It’ When It Comes to Taylor Swift
NFL star Travis Kelce, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, recently made headlines by criticizing the NFL. The football star was unhappy with the league for what he saw as overblown coverage of his rumored relationship with pop sensation Taylor Swift.
Kelce’s candid remarks came during an episode of his New Heights podcast. With all eyes on Kelce and Swift, the NFL has officially fired back at the claims that they are “overdoing it” when it comes to covering the pop icon.
Travis Kelce slams the NFL for ‘overdoing’ it in regards to Taylor Swift
Kelce recently opened up about all of the hoopla surrounding his rumored romance with Swift.
In a candid moment on his New Heights podcast, Kelce told his brother, Jason Kelce, that the NFL is going a little too overboard covering the drama.
“I think it’s fun when they show who else is at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere… But at the same time, I think they’re overdoing it a little bit — especially my situation. They’re just trying to have fun with it,” he said toward the end of the podcast.
Travis revealed in a prior podcast episode that he harbored romantic feelings for the singer. The tidbit piqued Swift’s interest, as she was seen at a Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears. She even hung out with Travis’s mom, Donna Kelce, at the game.
Swift was also spotted leaving the arena with Travis, adding fuel to the rumor mill. A week later, she was in the New York area attending another Chiefs game, this time with other famous faces like Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, and Hugh Jackman.
On Taylor Swift, NFL answers the critics surrounding its coverage of the pop star
The Kansas City Chiefs’ social media accounts have been particularly vocal, updating their Instagram status to note the team’s 2-0 record when Swift is in the stands. The Chiefs didn’t stop there; they revamped their TikTok banner to showcase images of Swift.
In the face of persistent whispers about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, the NFL has come out to justify its spotlight on the pop star. The NFL clarified its stance on its Taylor Swift-centric content in a statement.
The league stated that they often modify their social media profiles to reflect current events and cultural phenomena. They also described the buzz surrounding Swift and Kelce as a moment where sports meet entertainment, generating a lot of positive attention for the game.
“The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we’ve leaned into in real time, as it’s an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we’ve seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport,” the statement explained.
Despite this, the NFL assured that the lion’s share of their content still remains committed to game-centric updates and other diverse initiatives.
Travis Kelce’s brother offers his perspective on the drama surrounding Taylor Swift
While Travis Kelce and the NFL seem at odds over the Taylor Swift coverage, Jason Kelce offered his perspective.
“I just think the NFL is not used to celebrities coming to the games,” Jason stated. “Like basketball has it all figured out. They’re all courtside, they’re sitting there. They show ’em once or twice, but then they get back to the game.”
Jason’s point is insightful. While the NFL reigns supreme in American sports, it hasn’t quite nailed the art of incorporating celebrities into its broadcasts the way other leagues have.
Those leagues seamlessly feature big-time celebs without diverting attention from the main event. Nevertheless, it’s tough to blame the NFL for seizing the moment.
Swift, currently a global powerhouse, is choosing football as her sport to follow for the first time. This association is giving the league a welcome spike in media attention, even if it is a little distracting from the game.
It is also one of the rare instances where the spotlight isn’t due to a mistake or mishap by the NFL, like in years past.
