Kirk Cousins Supports Taylor Swift's Football Fandom

Kirk Cousins on Taylor Swift's Football Fandom

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is all-in on Team Swelce, including the NFL’s frequent coverage of Taylor Swift at football games.

Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins Hopes Taylor Swift Will Be Around the Game for a Long Time

'I keep seeing clips of her high-fiving people, so I think it’s been a positive. It’s certainly been a positive for the league,' Cousins, 35, exclusively told We on Wednesday, January 17, while discussing his partnership with Tostitos. 'I think there [have] been a lot of new football fans that five months ago probably weren’t following pro football, but now they are. I think that’s a win for everybody involved and hopefully, she’s around the game for a long time.'

Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins Hopes Taylor Swift Will Be Around the Game for a Long Time

Swift, 34, has frequently attended Kansas City Chiefs football games since September 2023 in support of her boyfriend, starting tight end Travis Kelce. Swift and Kelce, 34, began dating the previous July, making their romance public when she attended her first game.

Considering that Swift is a well-known pop star, the NFL has frequently shown Swift on the Jumbotron whenever she’s in attendance. Many fans — whom Swift notably coined 'dads, Brads and Chads' in her 2023 TIME profile — lamented about her constant presence at the game. A handful have even blamed her whenever Kelce and the Chiefs lost a game. (The Chiefs are currently in the middle of their divisional postseason in a bid for a Super Bowl spot.)

Cousins, for his part, has played in the NFL for 12 years. He was drafted by the Washington Commanders (then Redskins) in 2012, six years before he was traded to the Vikings. Throughout his athletic tenure, he’s had the support of wife Julie Hampton and their two sons, Cooper and Turner. The Cousins brood, much like Swift, have had to learn how to deal with the NFL’s passionate fans and navigate the resulting media attention.

Fan Reactions and Impact on the League

Swift has brought a new wave of attention to the NFL with her enthusiastic support for the Kansas City Chiefs and her high-profile relationship with Travis Kelce. Her presence at games has sparked discussions among fans, with some expressing their admiration for her dedication, while others have raised concerns about the impact of her celebrity status on the outcome of games.

Cousins addressed the mixed reactions, stating, 'I mean, fans are going to be fans [and] maybe they blame her. I don’t know if the blame is well placed, but I think a lot of the games she’s attended, they played really well and they won.'

While acknowledging the passionate nature of football fans, Cousins emphasized the positive effect of Swift's presence, noting the increase in new football fans and the overall benefit to the league. He also shared his experiences of dealing with passionate fans and media attention throughout his career, highlighting the similarities between his family's experiences and Swift's public scrutiny.

Partnership with Tostitos and Super Bowl Engagement

Although the Vikings have been eliminated from playoff contention, Cousins has teamed up with Tostitos to engage with fans during the upcoming Super Bowl. He will be cooking a meal for a selected fan at Tost by Tostitos’ pop-up restaurant in Las Vegas, in partnership with the Super Bowl.

Cousins shared details of the partnership, stating, '[Tostitos is] partnering with the Super Bowl this year, the second straight year now of having a pop-up restaurant at the Super Bowl week. So in Vegas, they’ll have a restaurant open, it’s a free restaurant from Thursday through Saturday of Super [the] Bowl week [and] they’re doing a promotional deal on social media over the next several days.'

Social media users have the opportunity to win tickets to the championship game and meet Cousins at the pop-up restaurant by participating in a sweepstakes announced by Tostitos. Limited reservations for a complimentary meal at Tost by Tostitos are also available on their website.