Taylor Swift’s viral appearances at NFL games are ‘disenchanting’ fans of the sport because they take away from what happens on the field.
That’s the view of legendary former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, who believes the ‘entertainment value’ that comes with modern-day sports is driving people away from games.
Swift has attended a number of Chiefs fixtures this season amid her whirlwind romance with Travis Kelce, with the pop sensation seen dancing alongside his mom Donna and fellow WAG Brittany Mahomes during Kansas City’s playoff win over the Miami Dolphins at a freezing cold Arrowhead on Saturday night.
Though while her appearances have brought a ton of new eyeballs to the sport, die-hard football fans have grown frustrated with the level of camera time Swift receives during games, hitting out at the NFL and television networks for not simply focusing on the action itself.
Taylor Swift ‘s viral appearances at NFL games are ‘disenchanting’ fans of the sport, says legendary ex-coach Tony Dungy (left)
Swift has received huge attention when attending Kansas City Chiefs games this season
The pop sensation has been at Arrowhead this season to support boyfriend Travis Kelce
But Dungy believes the level of attention on Swift is leaving fans disillusioned with football
And Dungy, a Super Bowl winner as both a player and a coach, can understand why supporters are becoming disillusioned with the sport.
When asked by Fox News for his thoughts on the Swift frenzy in football right now, the 68-year-old said: ‘That’s the thing that’s disenchanting people with sports now, there’s so much on the outside coming in – entertainment value and different things.
‘It’s taking away from what really happens on the field.’
Taylor celebrated Travis and the Chiefs’ 26-7 win over the Dolphins on Saturday in a box alongside Donna and Brittany, before she was filmed holding hands and talking with her boyfriend as they left the stadium together after midnight.
The singer and songwriter’s return to Kansas City came amid reports that she was in for a frosty reunion with Kelce after having their first major argument over Christmas.
But Swift appeared to be full of support for her man and even wore a custom-made Chiefs puffer jacket that was covered in his name and Chiefs No. 87.
After arriving at Arrowhead around an hour before kickoff, she sat next to Donna Kelce throughout as the Chiefs and Dolphins played out the fourth-coldest game in NFL history.
At one point she was snapped leaning out of the window of Kelce’s suite to wave to the fans sat around her and even high five them as they celebrated the Chiefs scoring a touchdown.
But then, towards the end of the fourth quarter with the Chiefs holding an unassailable 26-7 lead, Swift led the celebrations.
Along with Donna and Brittany, they danced from side to side along to the music being blasted around the stadium.
Swift and Mahomes were really going for it and Donna joined in too as they began the celebrations early.
Her mood was the complete opposite to how it’s claimed she was left feeling over Christmas when she watched Kelce and the Chiefs lose to the Las Vegas Raiders, however.
According to a bombshell report by Life & Style earlier on Saturday, Kelce ‘snapped’ at Swift on Christmas Day as the pair clashed following the defeat.
Kelce and Swift (pictured after Kansas City’s NYE win over the Cincinnati) reportedly had their first argument after the Chiefs’ Christmas Day defeat to the Raiders
A miserable Kelce was seen leaving the Chiefs’ hotel on Saturday amid reports of the bust-up
The NFL star is said to have let his emotions get the better of him after the defeat at Arrowhead Stadium, which left his girlfriend feeling ‘hurt and confused’. During the loss, he was also seen throwing his helmet down in fury on the sidelines.
Amid reports of his spat with Swift, Kelce was seen with a stony look on his face earlier on Saturday in exclusive photos from Dailymail.com as he left the Chiefs’ hotel ahead.
A source is quoted as saying that the row ruined his and Taylor’s holidays given it was their first fight in five months together.