Chris “Mad Dog” Russo is upset with the Kansas City Chiefs and believes the team is getting unfair help from referees. He blames Taylor Swift, saying the NFL wants to keep her involved so her fans keep watching.
On First Take, Russo argued that the NFL is favoring the Chiefs, especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes, by calling penalties that help them win. He mentioned their recent playoff game against the Houston Texans, where Mahomes got two 15-yard penalties after being hit. Some people believe he made the contact look worse to get the calls. When Stephen A. Smith asked Russo why the NFL would do this, Russo quickly pointed to Taylor Swift. He also brought up WNBA star Caitlin Clark sitting in Travis Kelce’s family suite, suggesting her appearance was planned to get more attention on the Chiefs. Swift even skipped Kelce’s game following her after-party.
Russo isn’t the only one making this claim. Skip Bayless also thinks the NFL is helping the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl so Swift can be there. On The Skip Bayless Show, he said the Buffalo Bills are not only playing against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game but also against biased referees. He believes the NFL wants Swift at the Super Bowl because millions of people will watch just to see her.
Bayless also pointed out the Chiefs’ win over the Texans, saying referees gave them important calls, like roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness, that helped them score. He called this the “Taylor Swift effect,” claiming the NFL is doing whatever it takes to make sure the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl.
Even though there is no proof of these claims, many fans have started to believe the NFL is favoring the Chiefs, especially after recent referee decisions.