Superstar singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has made her mark on the NFL after speculation about her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce began to spread in 2023. Since then, the two have gotten married, and Swift has officially cemented her media residency with the NFL.

The multi-time Grammy Award winner is known for watching her husband’s games from her box seats, where NFL broadcasts aim to show viewers. This constant celebrity spotlight has discouraged many football fans, who feel Swift’s massive audience draws attention away from football.

In a piece for Variety, Marlow Stern interviewed Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith and asked for his perspective on the “Taylor Swift effect on the NFL.”

“How do you feel about the Taylor Swift effect on the NFL?” Stern asked. “She’s really increased the popularity of the league among women, but I understand some male fans have mixed feelings about her presence at games.”

“Why would it be a controversial matter?” Smith responded. “She’s there to support her husband and she doesn’t care about all this other stuff, but the networks do. The networks are exposing everything because of who she is. She’s not looking for the damn camera! She’s trying to be Taylor Swift, wife to Travis Kelce, and is trying to enjoy life.”

“She’s not going, ‘Put me on the camera! I’m here!’ Most stars aren’t even like that. The media needs something to talk about; this is fresh and new, and she’s a big star,” Smith continued. “Do I like it? No. Can I do anything about it? No. Can she do anything about it? No. The only thing she can do is not show up at the games, and who wants to do that? She’s just trying to be herself. That’s what losing your anonymity truly means — people follow you.”

From a business standpoint, Swift’s relationship with Kelce has generated a massive cultural and economic uptick among female and young fans, significantly boosting the NFL’s brand value. The Chiefs’ success adds to the allure of the “Swift Effect” as well.

For now, the international superstar will remain on the big screen despite disapproval.