Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley is speaking out in defense of Taylor Swift after the pop icon was booed during Super Bowl LIX. The running back, who helped lead the Eagles to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, called out the unnecessary backlash Swift faced while cheering on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
“I remember they showed her on the jumbotron, and she got booed,” Barkley shared during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show. “I don’t get why she was getting hate there.”
The crowd’s negative reaction stood in stark contrast to the cheers other celebrities, like Adam Sandler and Paul Rudd, received when they appeared on the big screen. Swift, who was seated alongside rapper Ice Spice, initially looked surprised by the boos but quickly laughed it off, showing her trademark grace under pressure.
Barkley, however, wasn’t having it. “She’s there supporting her significant other, and she’s made the game bigger,” he said. “In football, we’re all about how we can expand the game and make it more international. [Taylor] being a part of it is only helping that, so I don’t get the slack that she’s getting.”
The Eagles star isn’t alone in defending Swift. Serena Williams, who made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, publicly praised the singer on social media after the game. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump took a different approach, mocking Swift on Truth Social.
“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump wrote. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
Despite the mixed reactions, Swift’s presence at the Super Bowl has undeniably brought more attention to the NFL. Her relationship with Kelce has drawn in new fans, and her ability to handle criticism with humor and poise has only solidified her status as a global icon.
As Barkley put it, “She doesn’t deserve the hate.”
