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Taylor Swift Defended by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith After Critics Call Her a ‘Distraction’ to Travis Kelce
Stephen A. Smith jumped to Taylor Swift’s defense during ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday, January 10. The sports analyst shut down critics who claim that the pop star has been a “distraction” to Travis Kelce amid the 2023 NFL season.
“Everybody’s sitting up there and acting like she’s some kind of impediment,” Stephen, 56, began. “Excuse me. She did her job. That Eras tour? Off the chain, generated billions.”
The commentator admitted that he saw Taylor’s concert himself and said that it was “positively phenomenal.” He added, “She did her job. She’s going to support her dude.”
He also pointed out that Taylor, 34, doesn’t need any publicity from Travis, 34, or the NFL. “It’s not like she used the games to bump up the concerts,” he explained. “Oh no! Those kids were going to her concerts whether the NFL was promoting her or not. Taylor Swift is that girl. Let’s show some respect. She probably is gonna have a positive impact on Travis Kelce’s performance, OK? I’m not trying to disrespect Taylor Swift.”
Amid her relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs star, Taylor has attended a number of NFL games since the beginning of the season in September 2023. The Chiefs have clinched a spot in the playoffs and will take the field again on Saturday, January 13.
The “Blank Space” singer previously addressed all of the attention that’s been on her during NFL broadcasts and admitted that she isn’t focused about when she’s being shown on TV.
“There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away and you don’t know where it is and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast,” she told Time magazine in December 2023. “So I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once. I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads and Chads.”
Meanwhile, Travis admitted on a recent episode of his “New Heights” podcast that he does feel like the networks are “overdoing it a little bit” when it comes to how often they show Taylor on TV. However, he also pointed out that it’s just for “fun.”
“I think it’s fun when they show who was at the game,” he shared. “I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching.”
He also referenced the response that Taylor got from the crowd at Gillette Stadium when she showed up to one of the Chiefs’ away games. “Just shows you how amazing that girl is,” the tight end gushed. “[The Patriots fans] went absolutely insane when they showed Taylor on the screen. There might have been a few Brads and Chads that were booing, but for the most part, everyone was f–king screaming their tail off for her.”
