Taylor Swift has become a full-blown Chiefs fan amid her romance with Travis Kelce, and now, former Kansas City star Tony Gonzalez is returning the love.
On the Thursday (Nov. 30) episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the retired tight end praised the pop star for generating more buzz for the NFL. “I think it’s great that Taylor’s done this for the NFL,” he said. “She’s brought a whole new audience.”
And though he hasn’t played professionally since 2013, Gonzalez recently saw Swift’s impact in action when a young fan approached him at the airport. “Men usually come up to me … and occasionally a woman — but a 10-year-old girl?” recalled the Hall of Famer, laughing. “I was like, ‘Oh, how cool, I’m getting so popular!’ She goes ‘Hi, is your name Tony? Do you know Travis Kelce?’”
Gonzalez — who started his career with the Chiefs and was later traded to the Atlanta Falcons — is one of many NFL pros to approve of the “Anti-Hero” singer’s enthusiasm regarding the league, following similarly positive remarks from the likes of Magic Johnson, who co-owns the Washington Commanders, Thursday Night Football announcer Al Michaels and even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Others, however, have criticized sports media outlets’ coverage of Swift’s attendance at Kelce’s games. (Clarkson herself came under fire last month for saying that watching games on TV felt more akin to “Housewives” ever since Swift joined Chiefs Nation.)
Gonzalez’s interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show comes shortly after Kelce became the fourth and fastest tight end to ever reach 11,000 receiving yards in the NFL. Earlier this month, he also broke Gonzalez’s record for most receiving yards in Chiefs history, something Gonzalez congratulated his successor for on Twitter. “Congrats and well earned my friend! Keep it going 🙌🏽,” he wrote.
Gonzalez also gave Kelce props for the record when talking to Clarkson, adding that the Ohio native is “such a good dude.”
Watch Tony Gonzalez’s interview above.
