Ever since Taylor Swift and football star Travis Kelce started dating, the “Shake It Off” singer has been a key presence at Kansas City Chiefs games. In fact, it’s almost certain that if Kelce makes a big play on the field, cameras will cut to Swift to see her reaction.
On Sunday (January 21), however, the internet seemed extra irritable when Swift’s celebrations were not saved exclusively for Kelce catches. At the start of the fourth quarter during a playoff game between the Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco scored a touchdown on a 4-yard run to give his team the lead.
A few seconds after Pacheco punched it into the endzone, the cameras cut to Swift inside one of the stadium suites cheering him on. She yelled out his name, “Pacheco!” and proceeded to hold up 10 fingers in reference to Pacheco’s jersey number. The anger from social media, much of it inherently sexist, came fast.
First, there were Chiefs fans who said they were trying not to be “haters,” but found cutting to Swift after Pacheco’s touchdown too much.
One user wondered why CBS Sports had to cut to Swift if fans “just want to watch football.”
Some joked that Swift got extra TV time because she was the one who drew up the play for Pacheco.
Luckily, there were some viewers who saw the cut to Swift as something positive.
Swift and the rest of the Chiefs’ fans had a lot to celebrate. Their team beat the Bills 27-24. And Isiah Pacheco racked up 97 yards rushing and another 14 yards receiving. The Chiefs will meet the Baltimore Ravens on January 28 for the AFC Championship.
The winner of that game will play in Super Bowl LVIII.