Chiefs’ Quest for Three-Peat Offers Taylor Swift Reprieve From Legal Drama

The Kansas City Chiefs begin their quest for a three-peat Super Bowl championship Saturday against Houston Texans and it can’t come soon enough for pop star Taylor Swift.The NFL Divisional Round should provide a reprieve from the social media firestorm over Ms. Swift being recently connected to the legal drama between actress Blake Lively and director/actor Justin Baldoni. After Ms. Lively filed a complaint against Mr. Baldoni alleging sexual harassment, Mr. Baldoni filed his own $400 million lawsuit against Ms. Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Mr. Baldoni’s lawsuit, according to reports, alleges that Ms. Swift and Mr. Reynolds pressured him into accepting one of Ms. Lively’s rewrites.While the duel lawsuits sent the entertainment world and social media abuzz, Chiefs Kingdom only cares about Saturday’s showdown against the Texans at Arrowhead Stadium and whether Ms. Swift, a good luck charm, will attend. The Chiefs (15-2) have home-field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs, while the Texans (10-7) are coming off a 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week in the AFC Wild Card Round. Ms. Swift is expected to be at the game to support her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The mega-star attended every post-season game last year when the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl by defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Chiefs fans don’t want a Hollywood controversy messing with their mojo, considering the Chiefs have won 13 of the 16 games Ms. Swift has attended.Chiefs coach Andy Reid welcomes all the support he can get from the home crowd. “It’s always electric and even more so in playoffs,” he told reporters. “We love playing here. We love our fans. We’ll put them up against anybody. They’ve helped us get the home record that we’ve got.”Chiefs aren’t shy about admitting how much Ms. Swift’s support has meant to the franchise since she and Mr. Kelce began dating last year. The daughter of Chiefs chief executive Clark Hunt, Gracie Hunt, told PEOPLE the team’s fan base has grown “between 30 and 40 percent” since Ms. Swift started to attend Chiefs games.“She’s just as beautiful and wonderful as you’d ever imagine her to be, so smart and so intelligent,” Ms. Hunt told PEOPLE adding, “It’s just been so special to have her be a part of Chiefs Kingdom.”Eight teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers twice, had the chance to three-peat. All failed. The 2005 New England Patriots were the last team to with a shot at winning three straight Super Bowls but injuries ruined their chances in the Divisional Round.The Chiefs haven’t been a dominant team this year winning seven games by less than seven points. Timely defense, the brilliance of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a solid if not spectacular year from Mr. Kelce with 97 catches, 823 yards, and three TDs, and the coaching of Mr. Reid helped the Chiefs earn the top seed.“I think it’s an honor to be the No.1 seed,” Mr. Kelce said. “But at the same time, we know anybody can beat anybody anywhere. It’s about being focused and being smart with the time we have and finish this thing off.”Mr. Kelce’s focus has been questioned since he began dating Ms. Swift. This is his second straight year with less than 1,000 yards receiving after hitting that mark from 2016-2022. His three touchdowns were the fewest of his career. There is speculation he will retire at the end of the season.“I’ll reevaluate it like I always do, and probably tell myself how much I love this thing and I’ll come back next year,” he told Stephen A. Smith earlier this season.The Chiefs’ quest to three-peat won’t be easy. The Divisional Round is loaded with proven teams. The Detroit Lions, 15-2 and the top seed in the NFC face the Washington Commanders (12-5) Saturday night, while the Los Angeles Rams (10-7) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) on Sunday and the Buffalo Bills (13-4) host the Baltimore Ravens (12-5) in the other AFC Divisional Playoff Game on Sunday.“We’re in this to challenge ourselves and there’s no better time than now,” Mr. Reid said. “It’s always physical football and you want to eliminate mistakes and play hard. Then you let the chips fall where they may.”

Chiefs’ Quest for Three-Peat Offers Taylor Swift Reprieve From Legal Drama

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