A Swifties guide to who’s who at the Super Bowl
With the Super Bowl just days away, football fans, and even Taylor Swift fans, are gearing up to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play against the San Francisco 49ers on 11 February.
With both teams having a signature red colour for their jerseys, this means one team will be wearing white instead. This year, the Chiefs players will be in red while the 49ers will be wearing white jerseys.
If you’ve only just started watching football because of the “Karma” singer’s boyfriend, and are looking for notable players or other figures to be on the lookout for at the big game, here are some contenders.
Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs quarterback
Mahomes has made it to three Super Bowls throughout his career (not counting this year’s) and he went on to win two of them. As the quarterback, he will be the one throwing the football whenever his team has it. If he doesn’t throw the ball, he can also make the decision to run with it.
Brittany Mahomes - Patrick Mahomes’ wife
If you’re interested in who will likely be next to Swift in the stands, it’ll likely be the quarterback’s wife. Brittany has been seen consistently being in close quarters with the “Fearless” singer, and the two have gone as far as having a special handshake when the team scores.
Kristin Juszczyk - Kyle Juszczyk’s wife
Kyle Juszczyk’s wife Kristin Juszczyk recently received a licensing deal with the NFL after she made Swift’s viral coat with Kelce’s jersey number on it. The news came after Swift made headlines for wearing one of Juszczyk’s jackets, which paid homage to the singer’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Meanwhile, her pal Brittany was also wearing a matching puffer jacket designed by Juszczyk.
Jason and Donna Kelce - Travis’s brother and mother
Although the Philadelphia Eagles centre may not have made it to the Super Bowl himself, he did confirm that he will be at the big game in Las Vegas in addition to his mother, Donna. Throughout the season, both of them have had the chance to interact with Swift and have only had good things to say about her.
Brock Purdy - 49ers quarterback
Purdy will be the player going head-to-head against Mahomes as the competing team’s quarterback. You may hear a few commentators throughout the game refer to him as “Mr Irrelevant.” This is because he was the last draft pick for the 2022 football season (Number 262).
But after former 49ers quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance suffered injuries last year, Purdy snagged the starter spot, and he’s never looked back.
Christian McCaffrey - 49ers running back
In addition to his finaceé, former Miss America Olivia Culpo, McCaffrey will also be a notable person to watch on the field as he has broken the team’s record for the most touchdowns in one season.
As a running back, he can either be handed the ball directly from the quarterback and then run with the ball, become a receiver to catch the ball thrown to him, or can block.
Deebo Samuel - 49ers wide receiver
Samuel’s ability to run the ball has been evident since his first season. When the 49ers went to Super Bowl LIV during Samuel’s rookie year, his 53 rushing yards against the Kansas City Chiefs were – and still are – the most by a receiver in Super Bowl history, just like Swift’s record-breaking Grammy win.
Nick Bosa - 49ers defensive end
As a defensive end, Bosa’s job is to prevent the other team from running the ball past them, and even sacking (tackling) the quarterback while they’re holding the ball. During the last NFL season, Bosa went on to win Defensive Player of the 2022, so he isn’t someone who should be discounted on the field.
Andy Reid - Chiefs football coach
Reid has been the team’s head coach since 2013, and is about to take them to their fourth Super Bowl under his lead. The 65-year-old football coach spoke candidly about the tight end’s relationship with the Grammy-Award winner during an episode of the Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitgerald, and Jim Gray podcast, shared on 30 January. While addressing how much attention the Chiefs have recently received amid Kelce’s relationship with the singer, Reid also poked fun at how he actually met Swift, who’s from Pennsylvania, long before she met her boyfriend.
Kyle Shanahan - 49ers football coach
Shanahan has been the 49ers’ head coach since 2017. The last Super Bowl he took the team to was Super Bowl LIV in 2020, when the team lost to the Chiefs. Just like the rest of his players, he is hoping for this rematch to play out differently from last time.