NFL’s referee decision opens league up to Taylor Swift controversy

With Shawn Smith set to be an official at the AFC Championship Game, the odds appear to be in favor of the Chiefs and the Swifties beating the Ravens to advance to the Super Bowl.

From a business standpoint, that outcome is likely music to the NFL’s ears.

Since the assignment was given to Smith, who has a tendency to favor the team on the road, it has been pointed out that the NFL is opening itself up to Taylor Swift conspiracy theories.

“And it certainly doesn’t help with conspiracy theories that the NFL would like nothing more than to see new Chiefs #1 fan Taylor Swift and her legendary fan base of the Swifties in the Super Bowl and buying up all the Super Bowl merchandise,” NFL analyst Warren Sharp wrote on his website.

The Ravens are favored by 3 points for the game in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon.

Taylor Swift (right) and Brittany Mahomes react after Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (not pictured) scores a touchdown in the 2024 AFC divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills.

Taylor Swift (right) and Brittany Mahomes react after Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (not pictured) scores a touchdown in the 2024 AFC divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills.

However, according to Sharp’s data, the numbers change with Smith on the field.

The home team’s win rate drops from 55.9% to 40.8% and the home team goes from covering the spread 50.1% to 37% of the time.

The referee analyst for Sharp’s website also noted that the NFL could have chosen from eight different referees for the game.

The interest in the Chiefs, already one of the most popular teams in the sport, has grown exponentially since Swift made her first appearance at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs-Bears game on Sept. 24 as she came to support boyfriend and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Taylor Swift, right, and Brittany Mahomes react during the third quarter of the Chiefs-Bills AFC divisional playoff game.

It brought a record-breaking viewership of 27 million on Oct. 1 for the Chiefs-Jets game at MetLife, which became the most-watched NFL game since the Chiefs bested the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

Sunday’s AFC divisional round game — in which the Chiefs beat the Bills, 27-24 — earned an eye-popping average of 50 million viewers.

Kelce’s jersey sales also hit a sky-high peak across 24 hours after Swift’s debut at the Bears game, clocking a 400 percent increase. His number 87 jersey also quickly became a top-five purchased one in the league.

Additionally, Kelce has seen his social media reach grow, gaining 300,000-plus followers.