Chill out on Taylor Swift. I watch Chiefs games for the football, not a media circus | Opinion

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was doing just fine without Taylor Swift.

In some corners of cyberspace, celebrity gossip rags have reduced Kelce into a sideshow. And I don’t like the spectacle at all.

I think I speak for a good number of football fans. The media frenzy surrounding this supposedly budding romance between the pop megastar and the Chiefs tight end is a bit much.

It was reported that Swift did not attend the Chiefs’ 27-20 victory Sunday against Minnesota. Good. Maybe she should skip Thursday’s prime-time game at Arrowhead against Denver, too.

Kelce and Swift are adults. I have no opinion on their relationship. Nor will I handicap the odds of when the couple will split, as others have. I want to watch Thursday’s nationally televised football game between Kansas City and heated rival Denver without the hoopla, though.

I would like to marvel at the pass-catching abilities of Kelce, an NFL All-Pro tight end, without interruption. We tune in to watch the tantalizing play of MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Each week, we grow fonder of the hard-charging style of running back Isiah Pacheco and others. This isn’t the red carpet or TMZ. We tune into a game to see football.

Much was made about Swift’s presence Sept. 24 at Arrowhead Stadium. This singer’s very public appearance in a private suite next to Donna Kelce was good optics for the couple, Kelce’s mom and their respective brands.

But last Sunday’s night game in New York versus the Jets was the wrong kind of spectacle. NBC television cameras panned to Swift’s private suite filled with other celebrities way too much. The network’s announcers repeatedly gushed over the performer. The adulation was over the top.

If you ask many Swifties, they would tell you the singer-songwriter made Kelce famous. Not even close.

True, there is a big difference between Swift’s enormous star power and Kelce’s reach. But Kelce isn’t chopped liver. He is a 11-year pro, a two-time Super Bowl champion and will be considered one of the greatest Chiefs players of all time. When he retires, he may rank as one of the game’s best tight ends, too.

Off the field, Kelce’s light shines. He helped fund Operation Breathrough’s Ignition Lab, a STEM-focused program for high school age school kids in Kansas City. He starred in “Catching Kelce,” his own dating reality show. And Kelce’s guest host appearance on “Saturday Night Live” earlier this year was met with rave reviews.

Among athletes who have hosted the late night variety show, Kelce ranked near the top, “SNL” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels told Vanity Fair.

“I think he killed it,” Michaels said. “He’s a natural. He was a presence from the moment he walked out.”

Despite scrutiny from hard right extremists, Kelce starred in two recent ads for Bud Light and Pfizer. He shot the former commercial after Bud Light’s campaign ad featuring LGBTQ influencer Dylan Mulvaney was met with resistance.

The spot promoting COVID-19 vaccines brought Kelce heavy criticism from anti-vaxxer circles.

“Mr. Pfizer,” Jets quarterback and avowed vaccine denier Aaron Rodgers called him.

As testament to Kelce’s talents off the football field, he signed with talent agency CAA. His resume was well regarded before he connected with Swift. His post-career opportunities will be plentiful with or without the megastar.

Sunday was considered Kelce’s birthday game. Swift was not there. Nor did she attend Kelce’s celebratory dinner last week in Kansas City. Perhaps she should skip Thursday’s game against Denver, too.

Chiefs fans want to watch football, not a media circus.