Brittany Mahomes is tired of NFL fans slandering Taylor Swift’s name.
“Let. Them. Know,” Mahomes, 28, wrote via her Instagram Story on Friday, February 2, reposting Charles Barkley’s take on “loser” football fans who continue to complain about Swift’s attendance at Kansas City Chiefs games.
“If you’re screaming at Taylor Swift saying she ruined [football], you’re just a loser,” Barkley, 60, said during the Thursday, February 1, episode of King Charles. “You’re just a loser or a jackass. You’re either A or B. You’re one of the two.”
Barkley was referring to the new wave of NFL fans — ahem, Swifties — who watch football to catch a glimpse of Swift, 34, who has attended 12 games to cheer on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. (The Super Bowl is set to be her — get ready — 13th game. IYKYK.)
Sports commentator Bob Costas speculated that the recent hate hurled toward Swift has more to do with her political beliefs than her support of the sport.
“Because they don’t like something about Taylor Swift — either they don’t like the Chiefs or they’ve inferred that Taylor Swift might not be a Trumper — then they’re annoyed by Taylor Swift,” he theorized. “I can guarantee that all this news on Fox News would not be happening if she was wearing a MAGA hat. They would love it.”
After years of opting to stay out of political conversations, Swift publicly supported Tennessee’s Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen in 2018, criticizing his Republican opponent, Marsha Blackburn.
During the 2020 presidential election, Swift also endorsed Joe Biden, urging her fans over the age of 18 to register to vote. Her Instagram Story post resulted in over 35,000 new registered voters.
The View hosts have also wondered why Swift’s NFL appearances have “triggered” sports fans. “They are freaking out,” Whoopi Goldberg declared during an episode late last month.
Swift became the most prominent member of Chiefs Kingdom in September 2023 after taking her and Kelce’s relationship public by attending one of his games. The NFL subsequently came under fire as their relationship heats up by continually showing Swift on screen during Chiefs games.
“I’m just there to support Travis,” Swift told TIME in December 2023. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”
Various NFL stars and sports commenters have since spoken out in defense of Swift’s attendance.
Retired NFL player J.J. Watt, for example, told Us Weekly exclusively that he’s dumbfounded by the double standard.
“I mean, they show celebrities at games all the time. Don’t act like we don’t show male celebrities at games all the time,” he shared last month. “I don’t really understand why it’s caused such an uproar. I mean, she’s literally there supporting her significant other, and that’s what you should do as a significant other.”
