ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Chides Travis Kelce for Lamenting NFL’s Taylor Swift Coverage

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has had it with Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

But Smith is not mad at the attention the hottest couple in recent gossip magazine memory is gaining from the NFL world and beyond, but rather Kelce’s frustrations with all the attention.

“Travis Kielce stop,” Smith said on First Take on Thursday morning. “Bro you did this. Not the NFL.”

Smith took issue with comments Kelce had made on his podcast New Heights, along with his brother Jason, who plays center for the Eagles. On the latest episode, both Kelce brothers expressed their belief that the NFL was “overdoing it” with their coverage of Swift when she was in attendance to watch Travis play at two recent Chiefs games.

Smith was not having it, arguing that Kelce knew what he was doing, and brought the attention on himself.

“You let the world know you got that little bracelet made for her, and you wanted to give her your phone number,” Smith said, referring to Kelce’s first attempt at shooting his shot with Swift. 

“Come on bro. Listen, it’s all in fun. Maybe it’s a bit excessive. People trying to capitalize off it attention-wise, monetize it, I get it. But the instigator in all of this was you, my brother. 

.@stephenasmith comments on the coverage of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift ????

"Travis Kelce, stop. Bro, you did this. Not the NFL. ... You know what you're doing." pic.twitter.com/lG7vI2Kfkl

— First Take (@FirstTake) October 5, 2023

“I ain’t mad about it now!” Smith assured both Kelce and his viewing audience. “It’s not a bad decision! It has seemed to be very beneficial to you. More power to you. But you did it.”

The Chiefs are on the road this weekend to play against the Vikings. No word yet on whether or not Swift will be in attendance in Minnesota.