Unpacking the Controversy: Taylor Swift and why she was booed at the Super Bowl
- NewsBlend360
- Feb 11
- 4 min read
By NEWS BLEND 360
Updated 9:13 AM EST, February 11, 2025
NEW ORLEANS (NB360) — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce did not celebrate on the field following this Super Bowl. Instead, they found solace away from the intrusive TV cameras.
The pop superstar appeared at the big game for the second year in a row as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs aimed to make history by securing a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. However, Swift was met with boos from a pro-Eagles crowd and had to watch as Philadelphia cruised to a 40-22 victory at the Superdome.
Last year, Swift and Kelce shared a kiss on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas amidst red and gold confetti after the Chiefs claimed their second consecutive Super Bowl — marking the duo’s first win since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.
It was a night of celebration for Swift: She won a beer-chugging contest to enthusiastic cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she enjoyed the game with celebrity friends like Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.
However, much has changed over the past year. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, believing she receives excessive television coverage during NFL games. Additionally, more fans have soured on the Chiefs, who have become the new juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate, replacing Tom Brady's Patriots.
It was no shock that Swift — originally from near Philadelphia but now a Kansas City supporter — was booed when she appeared on the videoboards with rapper Ice Spice during a first-quarter break on Sunday night. She gave a slight side-eye and wrinkled her nose upon realizing the boos were directed at her.
By the second half, with the Eagles dominating, the cameras avoided her completely, and after the game, President Donald Trump criticized Swift, who had backed Kamala Harris in the previous year’s election.
“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
Swift and Kelce became a couple early last season, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the singer to watch him play in a game against the Bears. Kelce had famously attempted and failed to give a friendship bracelet to Swift when she performed at Arrowhead Stadium, but she accepted his invitation to attend a game, and their relationship flourished.
Perhaps being overlooked at the Grammy Awards last week was a sign of a long, challenging night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.
That week was arguably the pinnacle for Taylor and Travis, not that their fame has faded since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had performed a concert in Tokyo before making a quick trip to Las Vegas for the game.
This year she arrived in the Big Easy in a more relaxed manner, getting there in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.
On the night before the big game, Swift was seen with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.
The big question early Sunday was what might occur if Kelce secured a third consecutive Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he choose such a celebratory moment to propose? BetMGM Sportsbook offered 8/1 odds for those interested in betting on it.
That possibility was dismissed well before the game concluded.
The Chiefs' record with Swift in attendance fell to 19-4, and Sunday marked the first time she witnessed them lose in the playoffs.
“We haven’t played that poorly all year. You don’t lose like that unless everything goes wrong,” Kelce remarked.
Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who was elusive in the postgame locker room — will return for another Super Bowl attempt. He has been uncertain about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are preparing for a possible retirement following a record-breaking career that will almost certainly earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Kelce has been preparing for his post-playing career for years. He has a successful podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even explored acting this past offseason.
“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest friend on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moments, but it’s if he wants to commit to that grind, because it takes effort to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and reach the Super Bowl.
“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has a passion for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”
Kommentare