NFL legend Emmitt Smith defends Taylor Swift as her presence at games draws ire of football fans

Taylor Swift has certainly become an “Anti-Hero” for football fans, and the NFL’s all-time leading rusher doesn’t understand why.

Since Swift began dating Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, she has attended his games and, in turn, been shown on broadcasts, which has drawn the ire of fans. Emmitt Smith doesn’t think her presence at stadiums or on broadcasts is controversial at all.

“Why would it be a controversial matter? She’s there to support her husband and she doesn’t care about all this other stuff, but the networks do. The networks are exposing everything because of who she is. She’s not looking for the damn camera!” Smith told Variety in a recent interview.

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The Pro Football Hall of Famer said that Swift isn’t clamoring for attention; she’s just trying to be a supportive wife.

“She’s trying to be Taylor Swift, wife to Travis Kelce, and is trying to enjoy life. She’s not going, ‘Put me on the camera! I’m here!’ Most stars aren’t even like that. The media needs something to talk about, this is fresh and new, and she’s a big star,” Smith said.

The Dallas Cowboys legend said that while he may not like the way Swift’s appearances are perceived as controversial, there is nothing either of them can do to prevent that unless she stops attending games.

“She’s just trying to be herself. That’s what losing your anonymity truly means — people follow you,” Smith said.

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Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) react after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

With her immense popularity, Swift has drawn more viewers to the sport, and the NFL is trying to replicate that success with other star players’ wives and girlfriends.

During training camp, the NFL coordinated a social media effort to feature star quarterbacks such as Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow and Jaxson Dart with their girlfriends or, in Herbert’s case, his fiancée. Smith is not a fan of the effort.

“It shouldn’t be a policy. It’s a poor policy. The reason why it’s a poor policy is: Girlfriends do change. Wives sometimes change, but they don’t change as often as girlfriends do. And if you’re going to do it for three [people], you have to do it for everyone — not just a select few — and that’s where the hypocrisy of that scenario comes into play for me,” Smith said.

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Taylor Swift celebrated a Kansas City Chiefs touchdown alongside Donna Kelce and Jason Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium. (David Eulitt)

The Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills played a thrilling game on “Monday Night Football,” and the ESPN broadcast showed Josh Allen’s wife, Hailee Steinfeld, and Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly Stafford, after some of the game’s biggest plays late in the game .

Swift and other players’ wives and girlfriends have helped the sport grow in popularity, and broadcasts are unlikely to stop showing them, regardless of whether some fans think it’s controversial.