Fans poke fun at US broadcaster over Taylor Swift shots
Taylor Swift has remained mum on her rumored relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, but the pop superstar was on hand again Sunday as Kelce´s Kansas City Chiefs defeated the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium outside the Big Apple.
The 33-year-old “Lavender Haze” singer was spotted, clad in crystal-studded denim shorts and a long-sleeved black shirt, entering the building with actors Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
She was soon ensconced in a luxury suite, with one social media poster getting cellphone video of her playfully sticking out her tongue as she was filmed.
InStyle reported Swift had been seen dining in New York with Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the night before the game.
Swift sparked a fan frenzy — among NFL watchers and her legion of “Swifties” — when she attended the Chiefs´ home game against the Chicago Bears last weekend, sitting in a luxury box alongside Kelce´s mother, Donna.
The 12-time Grammy winner, sporting a red and white Chiefs jacket, was treated to a 41-10 Chiefs romp and cheered wildly when Kelce, a two-time Super Bowl winner caught a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Kelce, one of the top tight ends in the league, had a quiet night against the Jets with six catches for 60 yards.
But television cameras captured Swift celebrating his teammate Isiah Pacheco´s 48-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of the Chiefs´ 23-20 triumph.
She was also shown hugging Donna Kelce, who arrived during the contest after attending her other son Jason´s win with the Philadelphia Eagles over the Washington Commanders earlier in the day.
The Kelce brothers had fueled speculation that a romance was blossoming between Travis and Swift in podcast comments.
But after she attended a game for the first time Kelce was circumspect on their New Heights podcast.
“I know I brought all this attention to me,” he said. “I want to respect both of our lives.”
Swift´s interest, however, has made Kelce the focus of a whole new set of fans.
After a report Tuesday citing merchandise company Fanatics that his jersey sales had climbed more than 400 percent, Kelce said: “Sounds like the Swifties are also part of Chiefs Kingdom.”
Kelce´s number of Instagram followers has also exploded in the past week, and a report by Front Office Sports indicating Swift would attend Sunday´s game sparked a spike in ticket prices, according to a USA Today report citing TicketSmarter.
The NFL is no stranger to celebrity spectacle, and posted plenty of pictures on its official X feed of Swift and friends as they enjoyed the Chiefs-Jets Game, which occupied the coveted “Sunday Night Football” slot.
Broadcaster NBC was also on the bandwagon, airing a Swift-themed ad for the game that used the singer´s hit song “Welcome to New York.”
Fans posting on social media platform X were poking fun at NBC early in the game for the numerous shots of Swift and friends watching the game.
Swift is taking a break from her wildly popular international tour that began in March — performances will resume in November and run late into next year.
A concert documentary, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is slated for release on October 13.