In 2007, singer and now-fashion mogul Jessica Simpson showed up to a Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles football game wearing a pink Cowboys jersey to support her then-boyfriend Tony Romo, the Cowboy’s star quarterback.
The Cowboys lost that game after Romo played what is widely considered one of the worst game of his career, statistically speaking. Somehow, despite the fact that Romo was the actual human who played the game, Simpson was blamed by many of the team’s more superstitious fans for the loss – a reaction widely criticized for its misogynistic undertones.
Recalling the “unbelievable, ugly backlash” that Simpson receiving during her Romo era is what motivated Kansas City Chiefs supporter Todd Chance to welcome Taylor Swift’s loyal fanbase, known as Swifties, to Chiefs Kingdom with open arms in September, when the team’s superstar tight end Travis Kelce started dating the superstar singer.
“I knew that there were going to be toxic elements within that fan culture that they were coming into with the NFL,” Chance, 48, told CNN in an interview. “I wanted to let them know that there are plenty of people in Chiefs Kingdom who are welcoming.”
To Chance’s delight, he was also warmly welcomed by Swift’s fans. On his TikTok page, Chance offered his knowledge of Chiefs history to the Swifties of the internet and in return, the Swifties who took notice offered him guidance on which of Swift’s many albums he should listen to first.
In a world often driven by division, Chance and football lovers like him represent a refreshing flavor of fan – one open to not just taking a crash course in Swift Music 101 but crashing into a corner of music culture that is all at once admirable for its power, intimidating for its learning curve and rooted in the core belief that In Swift We Trust.
