Charles Barkley has Taylor Swift’s back!
On the Wednesday, January 31, episode of he and Gayle King’s show, King Charles, the NBA star, 60, stuck up for the pop star after NFL fans have been bashing her appearances at the Chiefs games.
“If you’re screaming at T-Swift saying she ruined [football], you’re just a loser. You’re just a loser or a jack---,” he stated. “You can be A or B. One of the two.”
Sports commentator Bob Costas — who was a guest on the episode — agreed with Barkley, noting how the “Dress” songwriter has brought a whole new audience to football since going public with her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in September 2023.
“Look at all the new people she’s brought to the NFL. You see young teen girls who are now watching football for the first time,” King, 69, added.
Costas then theorized Swift’s presence at the Sunday, February 11, Super Bowl could boost ratings dramatically.
“The NFL reigns supreme — not only over sports — but over all of American entertainment. … It’s the only thing that consistently aggregates huge audiences,” the 71-year-old began.
“Like 90 of the top 100 rated television shows in a given year are football games — almost all of them NFL games. And so you would think they couldn’t improve on that, but now they’ve tapped into another demographic,” he explained.
Since the Grammy winner started making appearances at the NFL’s games, many sports fanatics have been angry with how much Swift was featured during the broadcasts.
In Swift’s Time interview, she explained how she had no control over the screen time she's gotten.
“I’m just there to support Travis,” she said in December 2023. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”
Additionally, Swift was not afraid to clap back at a fan at the Chiefs game on Sunday, January 28, when a Baltimore Ravens supporter yelled that she “ruined the NFL.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Swift replied to the rude individual.
Despite facing backlash, Swift and Kelce seem to ignore the haters, as their relationship has blossomed over the last few months.
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The pair are even saying the L-word as a recent social media video captured the two whispering sweet nothings to one another following Kelce’s AFC Championship win.
"Tay, I'm going to enjoy with the guys," Kelce, 34, said in the clip. "So much it’s not even funny."
Swift, also 34, replied: "I love you, too. I've never been so proud, ever!"
