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Saquon Barkley had no patience for the Super Bowl crowd’s reaction to Taylor Swift. The Philadelphia Eagles star called out fans who booed the pop icon when she appeared on the Jumbotron at Caesars Superdome during Super Bowl LIX, per Yahoo. Swift, attending the game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, looked visibly perplexed as the crowd erupted into jeers.
“I remember that they showed her on the Jumbotron and she got booed,” Barkley said during his February 12 appearance on The Howard Stern Show. “I don’t get it. I don’t get why she was getting hate there.”
Swift, who sat in a suite alongside Ice Spice, Ashley Avignone, Donna and Ed Kelce, her brother Austin, and Este Haim, has been a consistent presence at Chiefs games since her relationship with Kelce became public. Her appearances have brought significant attention to the NFL, drawing in new audiences and expanding the league’s reach.
Barkley was quick to highlight Swift’s positive influence on football’s growth. “She’s there supporting her significant other and she’s made the game bigger,” he said. “In football, we’re all about how we can expand the game internationally. We’re traveling to Brazil and Mexico, and apparently, Australia soon. Her being a part of it is only helping that, so I don’t get the slack that she’s getting.”
While Eagles fans were reportedly booing the Chiefs throughout the night, Swift seemed to be caught in the crossfire. Political figures also took the moment as an opportunity to criticize her, further fueling the debate. However, Barkley made it clear he wasn’t on board with the negativity.
The boos didn’t appear to be universally applied. When Adam Sandler and Paul Rudd were shown on the big screen, they received cheers. Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, got a mixed reaction of both boos and applause. Still, Barkley’s defense of Swift resonated with many, reinforcing her role in boosting the league’s popularity.
Swift’s presence at games has undeniably changed the landscape of NFL viewership. And with stars like Saquon Barkley publicly backing her, it’s evident that not everyone sees her involvement as a problem—some, in fact, recognize it as a major win for the sport.
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