The Kansas City Chiefs came into the 2023 NFL season as the defending Super Bowl champions and a favorite to return to the big game. While they’re still in a solid position heading into the playoffs, it hasn’t been the smoothest season for Andy Reid’s squad.
The Chiefs have struggled to maintain offensive consistency, given away too many turnovers, and dropped an alarming number of passes in critical moments, not to mention committing some wild blunders along the way.
With a 9-6 record coming into Sunday, the Chiefs needed to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals to clinch a playoff berth and their 8th-consecutive division crown. Early on, the same old problems reared their ugly heads and they trailed 17-13 at halftime. That prompted a bit of soul-searching from the NFL world about what was going on with the once-mighty Chiefs.
While some blamed KC’s inability to maintain offensive talent around Patrick Mahomes and others blamed the front office’s inability to draft well or make key free-agent signings, former Barack Obama advisor and CNN contributor David Axelrod had another theory: Perhaps this is all Taylor Swift’s fault.
“At some point it has to be asked: is Taylor Swift killing the [Chiefs]?” asked Axelrod on X.
Swift, who has been dating Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce this season, has made appearances at many of the team’s games, prompting a surge in interest around their relationship. It’s also led to some very weird takes about Swift, Kelce, and whether or not she is a “distraction.” And while Axelrod’s comment can be read as a throwaway joke, many around the NFL world took offense to the way it blamed a woman for a group of men’s failures, a classic misogynistic trope.
https://t.co/NQKRdQ5hYc pic.twitter.com/wzSYlJpZ99
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 1, 2024
It is time to hold her accountable for the Skyy Moore pick https://t.co/VK9cUMVOON
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) January 1, 2024
Just an incredible week for the political class in the United States. https://t.co/6R4IwFrfLm
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) January 1, 2024
miss swift is paying kansas city receivers to drop passes so that her man remains the top pass catcher, giving him additional contract negotiation leverage. we love a shrewd businesswoman partner, folks. https://t.co/E0Zq0IH1L9
— mike taddow (@MikeTaddow) January 1, 2024
are the chiefs too woke https://t.co/tHG05bodcr
— Treb (@treblaw) January 1, 2024
We are about to enter 2024 and dudes are still blaming women for their sports teams underperforming https://t.co/6UjtidYHX4
— Tim Backes (@timbackes) January 1, 2024
Not only did Axelrod get ratioed to the moon on X but the Chiefs ended up getting back on track, winning the game, and clinching the AFC West. While they might not look as cohesive as previous seasons, it seems like Kansas City remains a viable contender heading into the playoffs.
Axelrod attempted to placate those he’d offended by making it seem like he was on their side the whole time.
.@Chiefs win! Taylor Swift is NOT a jinx!!
Happy New Year to Swifties everywhere!— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) January 1, 2024
If we know X/Twitter and Swifties, no amount of centrist altruism is gonna get Axelrod out of this jam. Better to just turn off your phone alerts for a few days. The only saving grace is that one of his cronies will probably pen a “cancel culture came for David Axelrod” opinion column in the New York Times or Washington Post on his behalf in the coming days.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.