Is Taylor Swift the Reason for the Chiefs’ Downfall?

It was bound to happen. The moment the Kansas City Chiefs started to fumble, the pitchforks were coming out for Taylor Swift, and it wasn’t going to be the guy who actually dropped the ball. After a costly mistake from Travis Kelce led to a 20-10 loss against the Houston Texans, some corners of the internet did what they do best: they blamed the girlfriend. Yes, according to a vocal minority of Chiefs fans, Swift is the jinx, the curse, the Yoko Ono of the NFL.

Let’s be real for a second. Blaming a pop star for a professional athlete’s performance is a time-honored tradition for sports fans who’d rather point fingers than face the music. The Chiefs’ playoff chances have plummeted to a measly 15%, and suddenly, it’s the “Taylor Swift curse” that’s plaguing the team, not, you know, a multi-million dollar team failing to secure a win. It’s a narrative straight out of a soap opera, but here we are.

The Blame Game: Swift in the Crosshairs

After Kelce‘s critical drop, social media erupted. “It’s looking like the Taylor Swift curse is real,” one fan dramatically posted. Another chimed in, “Taylor Swift ruined that football team.” It’s almost impressive how quickly the narrative shifted. A poll even surfaced asking whether the Chiefs’ dynasty was simply over or if it was all “because of Taylor Swift.” The results were close, which says a lot about where people’s heads are at.

Even some former athletes are getting in on the action. Two-time NBA champion Vernon Maxwell, on the “All the Smoke” podcast, didn’t mince words, suggesting Kelce is “dead” because “he got that god damn white woman.” It’s a crude, absurd take, but it echoes a sentiment that’s been bubbling under the surface.

Gilbert Arenas also jumped on the bandwagon earlier in the season, claiming Kelce had “lost his name” and was now just “Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.” It seems in the world of sports commentary, it’s easier to blame a successful woman for a man’s professional slump than to analyze the game itself.

A Touch of Reality, Please

Let’s pull back from the ledge. Is Travis Kelce really having a terrible season? Not by a long shot. He’s still one of the top tight ends in the league, with five touchdowns and over 700 receiving yards. He’s a 10-time Pro Bowler. Pointing to one dropped pass and screaming “curse!” feels a little… lazy.

Thankfully, not everyone has lost their mind. A legion of Swifties and more rational fans have rallied to Kelce’s defense, reminding everyone of his incredible contributions to Kansas City over the years. “After all he’s done for KC, and this is how you treat him,” one fan wrote, “I hope he does retire.” It’s a fair point. The guy has been a cornerstone of the Chiefs’ success, and the whiplash from hero to villain is dizzying.

With Kelce’s contract expiring and retirement whispers growing louder, this season is already filled with enough drama without manufacturing more. The 36-year-old has endorsement deals, a hit podcast, and a future beyond the gridiron. Maybe, just maybe, the Chiefs are having a rough season, and it has absolutely nothing to do with who is cheering from the luxury box. But that’s a much less exciting story to tell, isn’t it.