The former NFL player says the network should focus less on the pop star during games.
Rob Gronkowski is adding his two cents to the growing controversy surrounding the NFL's focus on pop star Taylor Swift and her romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce during games.
While appearing on Kay Adams' daily morning show, Up & Adams, the former New England Patriots tight end turned entertainer admitted that he thinks the sports organization's doing "too much" when it comes to spotlighting the singer's presence in stadiums during game time.
"I would just say, 'Bye bye bye,' it's just a little bit too much," Gronkowski shared on Wednesday's episode. "Yes, show her, 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!"
Gronkowski added that he feels that broadcast should focus on the players doing the actual work on the field -- especially during successful plays when the athletes like to do their celebration dances.
"Show the players, show the players' celebrations," he declared.
Although Swifties might call Gronkowski a grump, he isn't the first to voice that opinion.
Travis, 34, himself acknowledged the heightened attention during an episode of his and brother Jason's podcast, New Heights. During the podcast, 35-year-old Jason, a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, raised the question of whether the NFL was "overdoing it" with its Swift-themed promos and constant cutting to the celeb suite throughout the games.
Travis responded, "I think it’s fun when they show who was at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching. But at the same time I think--"
Jason interjected, "They're overdoing it," with Travis concurring, "They’re overdoing it a little bit for sure, especially my situation. [But] I think they’re just trying to have fun with it."
Jason also suggested that the NFL may not be accustomed to celebrities attending their games, contrasting it with basketball's approach, where celebrities are shown briefly and then the focus returns to the game. Jason remarked, "NFL is like, 'Oh my god, look at all these A-list celebrities at the game, keep showing them, show 'em, show 'em…' You show them once, let them know they’re there, and after touchdowns you get a little clip, but it can’t be overboard with it. People are there to watch the game, right?"
Travis agreed, pointing out that celebrities, including the usually private Swift, attend games primarily to enjoy the experience and not to be constantly featured on TV.
The NFL has defended itself in a statement, saying, "We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what’s happening in and around our games, as well as culturally. The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we’ve leaned into in real time, as it’s an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we’ve seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport."
"The vast majority of our content has remained focused on the game, our players and variety of other initiatives, including our Toy Story Funday Football alt-cast, the international games and more."
Swift first made headlines for sitting next to Travis' mom, Donna Kelce, at the first game she attended in support of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end on Sept. 24. Since then, the singer has attended a handful of other games, including Travis' latest at-home game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MIssouri, over the weekend. The couple left the game hand-in-hand and were later photographed together at an after-party where Taylor was seen kissing Travis on the cheek.
While Jason is admittedly happy for his brother's new romance, he's expressed his concern about the fan and media frenzy surrounding Travis and Taylor's relationship.
"It's certainly been weird, the level that it is now," the father of two said during a recent interview with NBC Sports' Peter King. "On one hand, I'm happy for my brother that he seems to be in a relationship that he's excited about, that he is genuine about. But there's another end of it where it's like, 'Man, this is a lot.'"
Jason continued, "There's paparazzi talking about him fueling his car before the game today and I'm like, 'Is that really necessary information to share?' This is another level of stardom that typically football players don't deal with."
Clearly concerned for his younger brother, Jason added, "So, on one hand, [I'm] really, really happy for my brother and where he's at in his current situation with Taylor. But on the other hand, there's some, I think, alarms sometimes with how you know, over-in-pursuit people can be."
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