NFL shakes off criticism after Travis Kelce says league is 'overdoing' Taylor Swift coverage
Many fans believe the NFL is going overboard with its coverage of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and global pop superstar Taylor Swift amid their rumored romance. Even Kelce says so.
"Is the NFL overdoing it? What is your honest opinion?" Jason Kelce asked Travis Kelce on their weekly "New Heights" podcast following the Chiefs and New York Jets' "Sunday Night Football" matchup, where Swift was in attendance. Travis replied, "I think everybody is just overwhelmed... They're overdoing it a little bit."
The NFL is shaking off the criticism, saying that although it's playing into pop culture, the league's coverage is still "focused on the game, our players and variety of other initiatives."
"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 league said in a statement obtained by ESPN on Wednesday.
USA TODAY Sports reached out to the NFL for comment.
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The interest spiked as Grammy-winning superstar Swift and other celebrities attended the game amid the speculation about her and Travis Kelce's still-unconfirmed relationship.
According to the Athletic, Swift was shown during the "Sunday Night Football" broadcast 17 different times. It paid off for NBC as Kansas City's 23-20 victory over the Jets was seen by an average of 27 million viewers. Following the Chiefs' win, the NFL temporarily changed its bio to "Chiefs are 2-0 as Swifties."
The NFL said that is its normal behavior. "We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what's happening in and around our games, as well as culturally," the league added.
Travis and Jason Kelce further discussed the NFL's coverage of Sunday night's game.
"Take away your feelings for Taylor," Jason said. "What is your honest opinion on how the NFL is treating celebrities at the games?"
"I think it's fun when they show who's at the game," Travis said. "I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you're watching. But at the same time, they're overdoing it a little bit."
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Jason agreed.
"I just think the NFL is not used to celebrities coming to the games," Jason said. "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."
