The National Football League (NFL) has faced criticism for featuring Taylor Swift multiple times in a recent promotional video ahead of the upcoming American football season, according to reports.
Last season, the 34-year-old pop star was frequently seen at games while dating Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Travis Kelce.
While she is credited with boosting the popularity of the sport, some fans have expressed concerns about the excessive media attention she received during that time.
The video, shared on X with the title “Football is back this week,” has sparked controversy ahead of the season opener. Kelce’s team, the defending champions, will face the Baltimore Ravens this Thursday.
Fans were treated to a series of highlights from the previous season, spanning September 2023 to February 2024. Notably, the “Guilty As Sin” singer took center stage in a series of five clips, as reported by the Daily Mail.
They reported that some famous NFL players were even absent from the video, while Swift appeared more times than any of the gentlemen playing on the field.
One instance shows Swift being spotted attending games with Kelce’s mother, Donna. The clip shows her in the stands, arriving at a game, and giving her boyfriend a kiss on the field.
Another scene is when he “gulped” a drink during the Super Bowl in February 2024.
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The NFL has received criticism for featuring Taylor multiple times, with one X user, @IceBurg_Simpson, saying, “They showed Taylor Swift 5 times in the span of 28 seconds. Imagine how many times they’ll show her tomorrow night.”
“It’s disrespectful to the men who put in their blood, sweat, and tears to get to the top of the NFL, only to be taken down because a pop star only dated a player,” wrote @toole_micah.
@UofParlay asks, “Real question, why does Taylor Swift appear more times in this video than anyone else in your field?”
“Half the video is Taylor,” @Shamrock2232 noted, while @jaysabur stated, “Maybe ‘Fan Encouraging’ is needed for Chiefs games, I really don’t want to see Taylor Swift anymore.”
@trillsamsonite declared, “This is the worst commercial of all time. The NFL needs better production.”
It’s worth noting, however, that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed his approval of what he calls the “Taylor Swift effect,” calling it a phenomenon that benefits the league.
In a statement released in February, Goodell told Deadline, “[Swift’s] a remarkable performer. She knows how to entertain well. … So when she goes to NFL games, [to] have her [be a] part of which is nothing but positive light.”
“Having the Taylor Swift effect is also a positive thing,” the commissioner noted.
“Both Travis and Taylor are great young people, they seem really happy. She knows how to entertain really well and I think that’s why she loves NFL football. I think it’s great to have her involved. Obviously it resonates, a different young fan base. Especially young women.”
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Tags Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, NFL