The entire internet is buzzing about Taylor Swift and the Super Bowl. Some of them are #TeamTaylor and can’t get enough, and some are in a tizzy about her being the talk of, well, everything. Full disclosure: I’m a full-force Swiftie and have been since I was 18 years old — I first saw Taylor live when she opened for Brad Paisley in 2006 and have loved her ever since. I also attended her Eras Tour in Tampa last April, and it was one of the greatest nights of my life. So, if you’re here to read from the viewpoint of an anti-hero you’re in the wrong place.
READ: The Taylor Obsession Explained: Why Moms Are Swifties, Too
I think people have always had a love/hate relationship with Taylor, and it’s only amplified right now because she’s constantly in the headlines. People have either loved or hated her music, loved or hated her style, loved or hated her personality, loved or hated her reactions and speeches when she won an award, and now they either love or hate the attention she’s getting. Like it or not, we are in The Taylor Era right now, and there’s no escaping it.
She clearly has talent or she wouldn’t be where she is today. If her music isn’t your style, you at least have to admit that she’s an intelligent woman, an incredible lyricist, and a fantastic businesswoman. A mastermind, if you will. But it truly boggles me — why are people so upset about seeing a beautiful love story played out before their very eyes? We pay good money to see movies where the girl finally gets the guy after countless failed relationships, yet we’re getting this one for free and people are complaining? It’s not like Taylor herself is broadcasting her relationship to the masses — in fact, she rarely shares any of her personal life on her social media. She just so happens to be the most famous person in the world right now and is in love with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who also happens to be a very famous person.
And the whining about her being shown so much on TV during the Chiefs games?! COME ON. She gets less than 30 seconds of airtime every game. Is <30 seconds really worth getting your boxers in a wad, guys? Is it truly affecting your quality of life or your enjoyment of the game? Don’t we have bigger issues to focus on? Why you gotta be so mean? Hate to break it to ya, but she’s never gonna go out of style.
But Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce? He’s shown twice as much during the same game, running through the crowds shirtless, chugging beer, and yelling — and he’s applauded for it. But a woman cheering from the sidelines in support of her boyfriend gets a few 3-second snippets of air time? Oh man, what a tragedy.
This year, to many it’s the Super Bowl, to some it’s Usher Bowl, and to several million (likely new) NFL viewers, it’s the Taylor Bowl. And I’m so here for that. Call me a bandwagon fan, but I’ll own up to it this season (since my Jags are no longer in it).
Why is it okay for millions of people around the world to tune into the NFL world for a football game (the Super Bowl) once a year to see two teams they likely don’t regularly root for, but it’s not okay for fans of a celebrity to tune into a game once a week to cheer on someone they root for and listen to daily? No matter what drew them to watch, maybe they’re learning about the game and building an interest, and that’s a good thing. People literally show up to watch four hours of commercials, and you’re upset that others are coming to watch less than 60 whole seconds of America’s Sweetheart?
Taylor’s attendance at games and new ties with the Chiefs has led to record-breaking viewership numbers for Chiefs games, inspired new merchandise, and even introduced the game to hundreds of thousands of new young fans. It has encouraged daughters, who never cared about football, to get excited to watch games with their dads. Whatever it takes, I can’t imagine a dedicated football dad being upset about getting to watch a game with his daughter.
I saw the below meme floating around social media, and while it may be a little extreme, it’s also very true. So many young girls love and idolize Taylor Swift, and when they hear anyone, especially their moms or dads, talking badly about her or saying she’s chasing fame and attention, what kind of message is that sending? It really doesn’t take much effort to bite your tongue and keep your mouth shut.
Taylor just said in this video captured from her performance in Tokyo, “I’m having fun, leave me alone.” Sue her for having fun, will ya! Let the girl live. Let people live. Let them be happy. Let them pump up their peers and celebrate others’ victories. Let’s celebrate the fact that she treats her staff to random gifts and bonuses, that she generously tips random staff at the football stadium, that she contributes greatly to countless charitable organizations, and that she’s genuinely a good person who treats others kindly. (And that she almost single-handedly kept our economy afloat in 2023. Kind of joking, kind of not.) I wish people would stop focusing on tearing people down for absolutely no reason and start celebrating small victories, big victories, and just letting people be happy. There’s a reason why so many fade, but she’s still here.
Here’s to you, Taylor and Travis (or Trayvis, as the tabloids say). I wish you countless years of happiness, and I hope Travis really is her end game. Loving him is red, after all. I’ll be anxiously awaiting my invitation to your wedding.
And if you need to melt like butter or fall in love with this power couple a little more, Tyler Ward just released this song he wrote about them and it’s adorable.
 NFL viewers, it's the Taylor Bowl.){kind=link}