“I don’t understand where y’all get this stuff…” Travis Kelce said, shaking his head when asked about the conspiracy theory that every Chiefs game is rigged by the refs.
“I mean, rigged? Really? Tf does that even mean, rigged.” He grinned, eyes twinkling.
He pointed at his microphone. “Is this rigged?”
He pointed at his hat. “Is this rigged?”
He tugged at the chain around his neck. “What about this? Help me understand.”
A reporter cleared their throat. “Rigged, Travis… It means ‘to manage or conduct something so as to produce a result or situation that is advantageous to a particular person.’”
“Oh. Fuck,” Kelce murmured, momentarily lost in thought.
Then he shrugged. “Well, I mean… I don’t know if this counts, but before every game, after draining the life force out of a baby lamb, Taylor has this little routine…”
He said it so casually that the room fell silent.
“She uses the lamb’s life force to summon dark forces from beyond.” He gestured vaguely.
“You know, demons from the four points of hell. The ones still loyal to her after her breakup with Azazel, Betrayer of the First Flame. Pretty chill dudes, honestly. They surround her in a star formation, and then… boom… horns extend from her head, flames engulf our penthouse or, like, her private jet, depending on where we are.”
Kelce leaned back, stretching, almost looking bored.
“Then, Taylor morphs into a lizard like creature and crawls toward me. Her eyes roll back, and she mutters ‘Z’kalth n’vurash mal’koth, sha drenthul varr!’ while gripping my head and breathing fire into my mouth. Then I black out. When I wake up, the Chiefs have won.”
He let the words sit for a few moments before looking around with complete confidence.
“Does that sound rigged to you?”
Travis, Jason Kelce poke fun at conspiracy theory NFL is rigged in favor of the Chiefs and Taylor SwiftTravis, Jason Kelce poke fun at conspiracy theory NFL is rigged in favor of the Chiefs and Taylor Swift
Brothers Travis and Jason Kelce poked fun at NFL fans claiming this season’s playoffs were “rigged” in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs so Taylor Swift will attend the Super Bowl and boost ratings.
During his Friday appearance on his brother’s “They Call It Late Night” show — via a video call — Travis said he would’ve “100 percent” been there in person if the Chiefs had lost their AFC championship game against the Buffalo Bills.
The former Philadelphia Eagles player jokingly blamed Bills quarter Josh Allen’s poor performance for Travis’ absence, saying, “Dammit. Josh, why’d you have to ruin this?”
Travis Kelce and his brother Jason poked fun at the ongoing conspiracy theory that the NFL has been “rigged” in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs.YouTube/@espn
Travis made a video appearance on Jason’s “They Call It Late Night” show where he said he thinks the referees have been “fair” to his team.YouTube/@espn
After Travis defended Allen, saying, “Don’t blame Josh. He played his tail off,” Jason took a shot at the ongoing conspiracy theory.
“Who do I blame? The officials?” Jason hilariously continued. Travis then coyly responded, “I thought it was fair.”
“You did? Sure. Yeah, you and nobody else,” Jason quipped.
“You did? Sure. Yeah, you and nobody else,” Jason quipped.YouTube/@espn
Theories that the league has been favoring Travis and his team began circulating after the team beat the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game last Sunday.Getty Images
After a controversial call was made in the team’s recent win, many football fans — including comedian Bill Burr and ESPN talking head Skip Bayless — began to question the fairness of the game.
Last week, Bayless insinuated that the league is fixed not only in favor of the Chiefs, but also for the benefit of Swifties whose viewership has turned the pop star into a “one-woman ratings juggernaut.”
“The memo will go out, just as it did last week, ‘make sure Taylor Swift makes it to New Orleans for the Super Bowl,”’ Bayless said on his eponymous show, per Daily Mail. “Without her, the NFL loses millions and millions of viewers who will tune in, mostly to see what she’s wearing up in that Superdome luxury box.”
Fans speculated that the game might be fixed in favor of the Chiefs so that Taylor Swift will continue to make big appearances and boost ratings.Getty Images
Swift has been a regular presence at Travis’ games since the couple began dating in summer of 2023.Getty Images
“So [Patrick] Mahomes, teetering though he might, must be propped up. Must be protected by the referees, just the way he was Saturday at home against the Texans,” Bayless continued.
The pop star has been a regular attendee of the Chiefs’ games since she and Travis started dating in the summer of 2023.
“This is the Taylor Swift effect. She is a one-woman ratings juggernaut. ‘Protect her! Prop her up! Award her boyfriend’s team with phantom penalties. Get them to New Orleans! The NFL needs the Swifties. Protect ’em! Prop ’em up! Make sure the Chiefs advance.”
The Chiefs are currently preparing for their third trip to the Super Bowl in three years, prompting the theory to gain traction.Getty Images
Former NFL VP Dan Brandino has since squashed the rumor saying, “One-hundred and fifty million people are gonna watch the Super Bowl regardless of Taylor Swift being there.”Getty Images
