Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has voiced his confusion over the boos aimed at Taylor Swift during the Super Bowl, where she was present to cheer on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. The 28-year-old NFL star was surprised by the hostile reception the global pop icon received, especially considering her presence at the event was in support of her significant other.
Barkley shared his thoughts during an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show, where he recalled the moment Taylor appeared on the jumbotron. He said, “I remember they showed her on the jumbotron, and she got booed. I don’t get it. I don’t get why she was getting hate there. She was there supporting her significant other.”
Swift, who has been attending Chiefs games this season, has drawn significant attention from both fans and the media. However, Barkley argued that her involvement with the NFL has only helped grow the sport's global audience.
“She made the game bigger,” he said, emphasizing the NFL’s efforts to expand the sport internationally. “In football, we’re all about, ‘How can we expand the game and make it more international?’ We’re traveling to Brazil, we’re traveling to Mexico, apparently we’re traveling to Australia soon. So we’re trying to expand the game, and her being a part of it’s only helping that. I don’t get the slack that she’s getting.”
Despite Barkley’s support, former U.S. president Donald Trump offered a more critical view. Trump, who was also in attendance at the Super Bowl, took to his Truth Social platform to comment on the situation. He wrote, “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
Trump also shared a post from the account Libs of TikTok, which compared the fan reactions to him and Taylor, with the caption, “Trump gets massive cheers at the Super Bowl while Taylor Swift gets booed – The world is healing.”
While the boos at the Super Bowl sparked controversy, Barkley’s comments reflect a growing sense of confusion and frustration around the negative reaction toward Swift, especially when many believe her connection to the NFL is ultimately benefiting the sport.