Of Course Keegan-Michael Key Brought Taylor Swift Into His NFL Honors Speech
Keegan-Michael Key, Taylor Swift
When it comes to anything regarding the NFL right now, don't expect to not hear mention of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.
Truth is, the couple has been all that many people can talk about over the last few months, after the pop singer brought an entire new audience to the football league while sparking up a romantic relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end—and now that the pro athlete's team is headed to the Super Bowl, there's only more to talk about.
During this year's NFL Honors, an annual event that recognizes the season’s best players and performances, host Keegan-Michael Key began his opening monologue by highlighting the league’s breakout story of the season, which, notably, has nothing to do with the actual sport of football, but everything to do with the personal life of one of the organization's star players.
Related: How the ‘Taylor Swift Effect’ Broke NFL Records for the Kansas City Chiefs
"Of course we're going to talk about Travis and Taylor. I think they're both great, and I'm happy for them," the comedian opened at the star-studded ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 8. "But Travis Kelce, you know this isn't the first time a player has dated a singer. There's Russell [Wilson] and Ciara. There was Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson. And, of course, there was Peyton Manning and Brad Paisley."
Interestingly, there was no mention of another high-profile athlete-pop star couple, whom DailyMail reporter Oliver Holt recently likened Swift and Kelce to, but still, lest we forget soccer legend David and Victoria Beckham (known as Posh Spice at the time).
But alas, the point was seemingly to showcase that although a major pop culture moment, it's far from the first time something like this has made headlines.
Related: Jason Kelce Sends a Bold Message About Taylor Swift's Influence on the NFL and Beyond
The Wonka star also pointed out that the singer is currently performing her Eras Tour in Japan, taking the opportunity to poke fun at the NFL team with the worst record last season. "It's my understanding that Taylor Swift is in Tokyo right now. But the only person further from the Super Bowl is the Carolina Panthers," Key joked.
"Who would've thought that Taylor Swift would've gone to more playoff games than Bill Belichick?" he added of famed former New England Patriots coach, who stepped down last month after a lackluster 4-13 season.
Kelce is currently in Las Vegas, where he and the Chiefs are preparing for the biggest game of the season against the San Francisco 49ers. Swift may make an appearance at the sporting event, traveling into town to support her beau.
Watch Super Bowl LVIII to see all the action this weekend, broadcasting live on CBS and streaming via Paramount+ on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 PM ET.
