Saquon Barkley condemns NFL fans booing Taylor Swift: ‘She’s made the game bigger’

Saquon Barkley’s focus may have been on the field Sunday night during Super Bowl LIX, but he still noticed the crowd booing Taylor Swift, and he didn’t like it.

While making the media rounds after helping the Philadelphia Eagles to their second Super Bowl championship with a dominant 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Barkley joined The Howard Stern Show Wednesday morning on SiriusXM.

Late in the interview, Stern asked the newly engaged running back Barkley whether he thought Travis Kelce will propose to Taylor Swift soon. And while Barkley stopped short of assessing their relationship, he did have a thought about the relationship between Swift and NFL fans.

“I have no idea,” Barkley admitted. “I will say this though. You know, I remember that they showed her on the jumbotron and she got booed. I don’t get it. I don’t get why she was getting hate there.

“She’s just there supporting her significant other and she’s made the game bigger. You know, we’re all about, in football…how can we expand the game and make it more, internationally and we’re traveling to Brazil and we’re traveling to Mexico. And, apparently we’re traveling to Australia soon, so we’re trying to expand the game and, you know, her being a part of it’s only helping that, so I don’t get the slack that she’s getting.”

Swift was booed loudly at Super Bowl LIX. Donald Trump attempted to take credit for the unwelcoming gesture, although maybe some of it came from Eagles fans who feel abandoned by the Pennsylvania native-turned Chiefs fan. But for whatever reason, a lot of NFL fans have struggled to accept Swift as a football supporter ever since her romantic relationship with Kelce was revealed two seasons ago.

The NFL certainly doesn’t mind Swift’s interest. But the reluctance from NFL fans continues to seem ignorant. It would be one thing if Swift was attempting to make her fandom about her, but she doesn’t. It’s not a self-promotion tactic, she’s not seeking the camera or interviews, she just genuinely goes to the games to support Kelce and the Chiefs. And for that, Barkley feels Swift deserves a warmer welcoming.