Rob Gronkowski takes firm stance on NFL's Taylor Swift coverage: 'We want more football'
Rob Gronkowski was an NFL party boy when he played for the Bucs and Patriots. And Camille Kostek, his long-time girlfriend, is a high profile TV host, businessperson and former model. So Gronk could be an expert to turn to on this Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift relationship and how it’s impacting football.
Gronk appeared on Wednesday’s edition of the Up & Adams podcast. And he basically gave a thumbs down to excess coverage of Kelce and Taylor Swift, the biggest pop music sensation in the world. The superstar attended her third Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium this past Sunday. Plus, she watched the Chiefs play the Jets at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, N.J. last month. And the couple spent another weekend in NYC earlier this month, with both making cameos on Saturday Night Live.
First, Kat Adams set up the question with some observations of her own.
“There is too much insecurity among NFL fans who are having an identity crisis,” Adams said, as she then mocked the football fans who complain about too many cutaways to Taylor Swift during games.
“Like people are like ‘they show her too much. It just gets boring.’ I’m sorry, but the game of inches that is football, there’s so little that changes in the game of football year to year,” Adams said. “Like, I can’t understand any argument that isn’t excited about embracing a new thing and an absolute icon who’s killing it for herself and the NFL and bringing new people into the party. Why would you not want to take that six eight Gronk wingspan and welcome everybody into the NFL. I don’t get it.”
Gronk, rather than using a tried and true Taylor Swift song, leaned into an old-school NSYNC classic.
“I’ll just say ‘Bye, Bye, Bye,” Gronk quipped. “It’s just a little bit too much. Maybe have her perform a song now since they’re hyping her up every single week. But we want more football. Yes, it’s fine that you show her, but not every single play.”
He added “show the players, show the player celebrations.”
CBS broadcast the Chargers-Chiefs game and received a big boost from the Taylor Swift effect. The game averaged 24.4 million viewers, making it the most watched TV program of the week. And after Kelce scored a touchdown to give the Chiefs a seven-point lead, CBS showed a graphic with stats that show the tight end has a better game when Swift is in attendance. Of course, Kelce either missed or was limited by injury in the three games Swift didn’t see.