NFL fans who hoped the new season would put the focus back on football got a familiar celebrity detour Monday night when ESPN repeatedly cut to Taylor Swift. The pop star attended the Kansas City Chiefs’ opener to support her husband, tight end Travis Kelce, but her reactions from the suite quickly became a separate story. One shot following a major Kelce catch produced a viral lip-reading dispute and renewed complaints about broadcasters treating Chiefs games like Swift publicity events. One frustrated viewer delivered a simple demand: “Get her off the TV.”
The moment came during the Chiefs’ September 14th “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium. It was Swift’s first time watching Kelce play since the couple married over the summer, and she was shown sitting with actor Tom Cruise during the game. Kansas City defeated Denver 31-10, while Kelce supplied one of the night’s biggest plays with a 59-yard reception. ESPN’s camera operators quickly moved from the action on the field to Swift’s reaction in the suite.
The viral clip showed Swift animatedly yelling while apparently looking toward a television or replay screen. An NFL-focused account claimed she had said, “DON’T SHOW ME, GET OFF OF ME,” as the ESPN cameras focused on her. Other viewers argued that she was discussing the play and yelling that Kelce was open or telling a defender to get off him. The disputed lip-reading soon became secondary to the broader complaint that viewers were once again watching celebrity reaction shots during a football broadcast.
One of the sharpest responses came from the account DowntownDan, which shared the clip and declared, “America doesn’t even like this couple. We don’t like Taylor Swift.” The poster suggested that neither Swift nor Kelce appeared to want the constant camera attention before closing with an even more terse reaction. “We hate Taylor Swift get her off the TV,” the post said.
The ESPN camera crew heavily featured Swift throughout the opener, according to a New York Post report. Viewers disagreed over what Swift had actually said, with multiple fans concluding that she was reacting to the play rather than objecting to the camera. The broadcast still followed the same pattern that has irritated some football fans since Swift began attending Chiefs games in 2023. A significant play involving Kelce was immediately followed by another nationally televised Swift reaction.
Swift’s appearances at Chiefs games have been part of the league’s television product since her relationship with Kelce became public three seasons ago. The couple’s July wedding gave broadcasters another reason to promote their first NFL appearance as husband and wife, while Cruise’s presence in the suite added another Hollywood name to the broadcast. Kelce’s performance included the 59-yard gain and helped him move past Jason Witten into second place on the NFL’s career receiving-yardage list among tight ends. ESPN’s decision to follow the play with Swift’s reaction ensured that the celebrity storyline competed with the football achievement itself.
Watch the moment and the frustrated response here:
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The responses also showed that viewers were divided over the clip itself. One commenter argued, “No she’s actually saying ‘Oh he’s open, oh he’s open. Get off of him…’” Another offered a similar reading: “no one’s open, no one’s open. get off of him.” A third viewer rejected the complaint that Swift was being filmed without permission, writing, “There is no expectation of consent when you’re in public.”
The irritation over celebrity cutaways also appeared beneath an unrelated SportsCenter post featuring singer Madison Beer supporting Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Referencing the years of debate over Swift’s screen time, one football fan responded sarcastically to the new celebrity shot. “Get her off the tv!” he wrote. “Or does that only apply to certain celebrities supporting someone their dating?”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.