Minnesota Vikings (1-3) cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. is looking forward to the Week 5 clash against the Kansas City Chiefs (3-1), and hopefully an appearance from pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Murphy, however, isn’t interested in being a Swiftie for this one. His goal is to play the anti-hero, and smother Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce throughout the game in front of his newfound friend in Swift.
“Oh man, the social media is going crazy,” Murphy said Monday, via ESPN. “And I’m not hating against it. That’s the world we’re living in. Is she going to come to this game? We’re locked in, but that would be something. I’ve been watching her since I was a kid. That would be cool, for sure.
“Not for him, because we’re going to try to get our hands on him in front of her.”
Murphy added he’d have something up his sleeve for Kelce.
“I’m going to say something to him to get him going,” Murphy said.
Taylor Swift positively impacting NFL business
Swift, rumored to be in a relationship with Kelce, has attended the last two Chiefs games in a suite. Her presence has been huge for the NFL and TV networks, both of whom have seen rises in viewership and interest.
During the Chiefs’ 23-20 Week 4 victory over the New York Jets (1-3) on “Sunday Night Football,” an average of 27 million viewers tuned in, making it the most-watched Sunday show since Super Bowl LVII in February. Viewership peaked at more than 29 million viewers during the second quarter.
The biggest jump in viewership compared to previous “Sunday Night Football” games took place among teen girls (age 12-17) — a 53% spike from the season-to-date average of the first three weeks.
Kelce has certainly benefited from his affiliation with Swift as well. His No. 87 jersey has seen a 400% increase in sales, while the 33-year-old has gained more than 300,000 followers on social media. Kelce now owns a top-5 selling jersey in the NFL after the bump from Swifties across the country.
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