Cam Newton says Taylor Swift is not a distraction for the NFL

Former quarterback of the Carolina Panthers Noun Newton has no time for the “dads, Brads and Chads” who complain about the NFL’s frequent coverage of Taylor Swift.

“I think it was definitely something that was noticed, but I don’t know,” Newton, 35, said exclusively We weekly at Hollywood Unlocked’s 4th Annual Impact Awards on Friday, June 21. “They had to paint the story for something.”

He continued, “I think it just made more sense and gave them more drive when their success kind of took off, and that’s the way it goes. You can’t be mad. If you don’t like it, try to stop. Travis (Kelce).”

Swift and Kelce, both 34, have been together since the summer of 2023 and made their relationship public when she attended her first Kansas City Chiefs game in September of that year. Since Swift was a frequent spectator of Kelce’s football team, many diehard sports fans complained about how much Swift was seen on the broadcast compared to the actual plays. Swift, however, didn’t let the critics bother her.

Related: Athletes who defended Taylor Swift at NFL games

Getty Images (3) Many professional athletes disagree with the “Dads, Brads and Chads” who hate Taylor Swift’s attendance at NFL games. Swift has been a fixture at boyfriend Travis Kelce’s games against the Kansas City Chiefs since September 2023, with the NFL occasionally showing her on the big screen and in the broadcast when Kelce (…)

“I don’t know how they know which suite I’m in. There’s a camera about half a mile away and you don’t know where it is and you have no idea when the camera will put you in the show, so I don’t know if I’m going to be shown 17 times or once,” Swift said. TIME in her profile as Person of the Year 2023. “I’m just here to support Travis. I have no idea if I’ll be shown too much and upset a few dads, Brads and Chads.”

Newton, who hasn’t played football since 2021 without officially ending his career, is on Swift’s side.

“Of course I didn’t play, so that wasn’t my problem,” Newton said Us at the ceremony, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. “She is who she is (and) he is who he is, and the game is what it is, too.”

Swift has attended 13 of Kelce’s games, including the Super Bowl in February. At the Chiefs’ December 2023 game against the New England Patriots, Swift was even booed by some spectators.

“I’m telling you, they showed Taylor at the game and you don’t see the whole home team fan base go crazy when someone wears the opposing team’s colors,” Kelce later recalled on his “New Heights” podcast this month. “It just shows how incredible this girl is.”

He continued, “They went completely crazy when they put Taylor on screen. … Maybe a few Brads and Chads booed, but for the most part everyone was fucking yelling at Taylor.”

Kelce and the Chiefs are currently in the offseason, during which Kelce has signed several of Swift’s international Epoch Tour Concerts.

With reporting by Lanae Brody