NFL legend Tom Brady mocked the reigning Super Bowl champs, saying the Kansas City Chiefs’ fan base now includes armies of squealing pubescent girls thanks to Taylor Swift’s romance with Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner made the pointed jabs during “The Roast of Tom Brady,” which aired live Sunday on Netflix.
“Kansas City, you say your stadium is the loudest. It helps when all your fans are 14-year-old girls,” the retired quarterback said, referencing Swift’s young fan base.
Brady also roasted the Chiefs, suggesting that while they won their third Super Bowl in five years in February, the franchise had been mediocre for much of their existence.
“And in honor of TayTay, let’s take a look at the Chiefs eras: Terrible for 50 years, good for five,” he joked.
“Shake it off,” he added, referencing Swift’s hit song of the same name.
TOM BRADY SHREDS #CHIEFS FANS….
“Kansas City, you say your stadium is the loudest. It helps when your fans are 14 year old girls… in honor of TAY TAY… Let’s take a look at the Chiefs Eras; Terrible for 50 years, good for 5. SHAKE IT OFF.”
💀💀💀💀💀pic.twitter.com/0BciUlvyXO
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 6, 2024
Brady’s joke touched on a very real phenomenon, which has been dubbed the “Taylor Swift Effect.”
Do you like Tom Brady?
After the pop star began dating Kelce in September, NFL viewership among young females exploded.
“Football viewership among girls ages 12-17 spiked an astounding 53 percent at the start of the season,” CBS News reported in February.
“And the pop icon’s influence stretches far beyond, impacting merch sales and the brand value of both the NFL and Kansas City Chiefs,” it said.
TAYLOR SWIFT EFFECT: Football viewership among girls ages 12-17 spiked an astounding 53% at the start of the season — and the pop icon’s influence stretches far beyond, impacting merch sales and the brand value of both the NFL and Kansas City Chiefs. https://t.co/qU99UR9YZg pic.twitter.com/qKMax2Qjcx
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 7, 2024
According to a report on a LendingTree survey of 2,000 consumers conducted in February, 24 percent of people ages 18 to 27 said they grew more interested in football because of Swift.
“Thirty-one percent of Gen Zers said they’d root for the Chiefs in the NFL’s title game because of Swift,” the report said.
“Additionally, 39 percent of Gen Zers admit they’ve been influenced by Swift to spend more money on football — mostly by purchasing jerseys and memorabilia or a streaming service to watch a game.”
COMING UP | There’s no question Taylor Swift is impacting NFL viewership – the data backs it.
At 5:15 on @CBSPhiladelphia, we sit down with Swifties in South Jersey and across the country who say they’re tuning in Sunday because of the popstar. pic.twitter.com/Rh0a37usGY
— Nikki DeMentri (@nikkidementri) February 9, 2024
However, Swift’s sudden visibility in the NFL caused a backlash among some hardcore fans, who found her omnipresence annoying and distracting.
“Across all Americans, 15 percent hate what she has done to the NFL, while 8 percent say they’re less interested in football because of her,” the LendingTree report said.
@barstoolsports Ravens Fans aren’t happy with Taylor Swift 👀 @chicksintheoffice ♬ original sound – Barstool Sports
That said, Swift has been annoying conservatives for years, backing Democratic candidates in 2018 and endorsing bumbling Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
The 34-year-old serial dater has also trashed former President Donald Trump and been a cheerleader for abortion, climate alarmism and the race-hustling Black Lives Matter movement.
After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 29, 2020
Racial injustice has been ingrained deeply into local and state governments, and changes MUST be made there. In order for policies to change, we need to elect people who will fight against police brutality and racism of any kind. #BlackLivesMatter
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 9, 2020
I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that. https://t.co/mwK561oxxl
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 24, 2022
Tom Brady’s joke about Swift’s teen fans has generated headlines, but unlike Travis Kelce, he hasn’t been overshadowed by the singer.
