How does Taylor Swift, the most popular musical artist in the world, have an impact on the NFL? Many fans and critics of the NFL have claimed that Swift has led to the league being rigged. How did this all happen? In 2017, the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He became the starter in 2018, won the MVP award in his first season and led the team to a Super Bowl victory the next year. Since then, the Chiefs have appeared in six conference championships and four Super Bowls, three of which they won. Mahomes, coach Andy Reid and Tight End Travis Kelce have been key to this success. While the team was highly popular at the start of their dynasty, they have become increasingly disliked by fans as they continue to win.
In October 2023, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce began dating. Many fans of Swift began watching football due to her consistent attendance at Chiefs games to support Kelce. This new viewership has significantly benefited the NFL, with ratings rising as a result. In their first season together, Swift saw the Chiefs win their third Super Bowl. In the second season of their relationship, the Chiefs have had the best record in the league. However, this season has also been marked by Mahomes having a notably bad performance, with several close games that ended in Kansas City victories. Some of these wins have been influenced by controversial calls from referees. There is speculation that the referees might be incentivized to favor the Chiefs, as higher ratings for their games driven by Taylor Swift’s presence could lead to more revenue for the NFL. As a result, fans have voiced their displeasure with the controversial outcomes, claiming the game is becoming increasingly unwatchable as the Chiefs appear to be favored by referees. FHS senior Taylor Williamson is a fan of both Swift and the NFL. She believes that the NFL operates with only itself in mind, and is heavily incentivized to fix games in favor of the Chiefs if it means more money.
“[Swift] has such a big fan base, and she brings her fanbase with her,” Williamson said. “The NFL obviously wants the Chiefs to go far in the playoffs and to be successful, because they have such a big fan base. Money-wise, that’s the most logical thing for them.”
On the other hand, many fans cast off such theories as outlandish, claiming the NFL is already successful enough and that the league’s primary focus is on the game itself. NFL officials have also dismissed these so-called conspiracies, upholding the decisions made by referees. Williamson and others claim that the league has an agenda to further their own profits and ratings, rather than the fairness of the sport.
“It’s politics,” Williamson said. “It’s a business.”
This Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, Mahomes, Kelce and the Chiefs will play their fifth Super Bowl of the last seven years, with Swift in attendance for her second. The Chiefs are chasing their fourth championship of the decade, and a win would write history, making them the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row. Their path to this game has not come without controversy, though, as multiple playoff games have been decided by referee decisions in favor of the Chiefs. Many football fans will be unhappy if Kansas City pulls off the elusive “three-peat,” and would likely consider this championship with an asterisk.
