WATCH: Viral clip of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's NYE kiss has Swifties hyped up
Travis Kelce had, by all accounts, a great 2023.
Earlier in the year, at the conclusion of the 2022 season, he clinched his second Super Bowl title when the Kansas City Chiefs came back from ten points down at halftime to defeat the Philadenphia Eagles. Then early in the current season, his relationship with Taylor Swift dominated the headlines.
And as the New Year loomed, fans of the two were treated to this short video of them kissing during a New Year's Eve party in Kansas City:
Here are few reactions from the Swifties who were hyped seeing thier favorite singer sharing an intimate moment with her boyfriend.
Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany also showed up, as seen in this image:
MSNBC writer discusses criticism of Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift relationship
But for all the hype and support Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have been receiving ever since their relationship became public, there have been others who have been less accepting. Swift has been labelled a "distraction" and "curse", among other things.
Chris Russo identified it as a reason why the Chiefs lost their Super Bowl rematch against the Eagles. As the team continues to struggle offensively amidst the tight end's seeming regression, detractors have taken to blaming the pop star.
However, former running backs Merril Hoge and Christian Okoye recently defended the two, saying that Swift cannot be a scapegoat for the tepid offensive performance. The latter added that Kelce has really been struggling because opposing defenses have realized that they can double-team him. It then forces Patrick Mahomes to lean on the wide receivers, who have become notorious for dropping passes.
On Monday, they were joined by MSNBC's Patricia Grusafi, who expounded on the sexism behind the "Taylor Swift ruined Travis Kelce's career" notion. She opined that sports, like almost all sociocultural mediums, still had a Yoko Ono-esque "machismo" stigma attached to it:
"Superstitions run rampant in sports culture, but so does sexism. And when emotions are high among sports fans, it’s helpful to find a scapegoat. Even better if that scapegoat is a 'dumb blonde.'”
Among the sporting examples she mentioned include country singer Kelly Clarkson (dated former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo) and actress Olivia Munn (dated current New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers).