NBC commentators Mike Tirico and Jason Garrett had a hilariously bewildering situation involving Taylor Swift during Saturday’s game. Garrett joined Tirico in the booth to provide commentary on the Kansas City Chiefs’ triumphant playoff victory against the Miami Dolphins.
Former Dallas Cowboys head coach sat near music sensation pop queen. Taylor Swift, supporting her boyfriend Travis Kelce, watched the game from a suite, shielded from freezing temperatures in Kansas City. Garrett and Tirico, calling the game on Peacock, were just feet away from the “Bad Blood” hitmaker.
In the fourth quarter, Mike Tirico humorously commented on fans mistakenly aiming their cameras at the broadcast booth, thinking they were capturing shots of Jason Garrett. Unbeknownst to them, their true intention was to catch glimpses of Taylor Swift.
“So I’m not exactly sure where in the stadium Taylor Swift is, right? Because we’re just sitting here watching the game,” Tirico noted. “There she is. So, the last quarter and a half, there have been people (looking) up here, and I’m like, ‘Man, they must love Jason Garrett.’ Everybody’s pointing their camera up at our booth to take a picture of Jason. And then, about 10 minutes ago, it was like, ‘Hey, dummy, they’re taking a picture of Taylor.’”
“The worst part is I’ve been waving the whole time,” Garrett shot back. Mike Tirico realized he could capture a picture of Taylor Swift from their vantage point in the broadcast booth if he took out his camera. Garrett jokingly expressed concern about Tirico tumbling out the open window.
Of course, footage of the gaffe was posted on X (formerly Twitter).
NFL Fans Leaned Toward Defending Mike Tirco’s Lack of Taylor Swift Awareness
Though the exchange went viral on social media, many NFL fans came to Mike Tirico’s defense over not knowing where Taylor Swift was in the stadium. “Since she isn’t a player I don’t see any reason why he should have been worried about where she was,” one fan pointed out on X. Another NFL viewer agreed. “[Tirico’s] job is to call the game… not fawn over the fact that a particular fan is in attendance. This is getting OLD.”
Meanwhile, Mark Giangreco, former sports anchor, also weighed in.”Why should he have to know that? He’s doing the game. He sees her on his monitor. Who cares where the suite is,” he wrote.
Regardless, after the game, Swift and Kelce were seen leaving together, hand in hand.