Third time's the charm.
Days after analysts Pat McAfee and Colin Cowherd defended Taylor Swift's place in football, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley joined the roundtable and did the same.
Swift is (presumably) headed to Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas after the Chiefs, and her boyfriend Travis Kelce, clinched a spot in the big game. The pop star has been at the center of "controversy" all season long. For what, exactly? Who can say?
She joined fans and Chiefs family members in the box for 12 games since she began dating Kelce in the summer. As a result, people had a lot to say about how much Swift was shown of TV broadcasts. All 40 seconds of each three-hour game.
MORE: How much screen time does Taylor Swift get during Chiefs' broadcasts?
So when Barkley, one of the hosts of "NBA on TNT," got the chance to talk to Swift's critics, there was no holding back. Barkley joined Gayle King and Bob Costas on CNN to discuss a handful of things, including the Super Bowl and its special guest.
"If you’re screaming at Taylor Swift saying she ruined [football], you’re just a loser. You’re just a loser or a jackass." - Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/fhah8fjCjz
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 1, 2024
"I'm gonna look right in that camera. If you're screaming at Taylor Swift saying she ruined [football], you're just a loser. You're just a loser or a jackass. You could be A or B, one of the two.”
Costas went on to point out that championship season in the NFL means more eyes watching, more entertainment value, and more celebrities.
MORE: Taylor Swift heckled by Ravens fans at AFC championship: 'You’re ruining football'
Swift's impact on the NFL is nearly invaluable. It's estimated her attendance at games increased the NFL and Chiefs' brand value by $331.5 million. Additionally, the league had its highest viewership among women since it began tracking the statistic in 2000.
Of course, Kelce's done well too. After Swift's first game in September, the tight end's jersey sales spiked by 400 percent nearly overnight. Safe to say her big reputation helped Kelce reach his wildest dreams.
