Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman, in an appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” pushed back on the narrative that Taylor Swift is to blame for the Kansas City Chiefs’ recent struggles. Merriman emphasized that the team’s performance is the result of their own shortcomings and not Swift’s presence.
Merriman stated, “The funny part is everyone is always looking for their scapegoat or something else, right? Before you know it, they’ll start blaming different things on Kelce and stuff he does off the field in general. They’ll blame it on the Kelce podcast. They’ll figure out a way, like, ‘Oh, he’s not focusing on the game because he’s still on his podcast,’ right? ‘He’s not focusing on the game because he’s at all of Taylor Swift’s concerts.’”
The former Chargers star pointed out that the team’s issues extend beyond Swift’s association with them. According to Merriman, the Chiefs have not been performing well, from star quarterback Patrick Mahomes down to the defense and blocking. He emphasized that when a high-profile figure like Swift is involved, people tend to search for scapegoats, but the reality is that the team is simply not playing up to their potential.
Merriman concluded, “The bottom line of truth is they’re just not playing well. That defense is not playing as well as they were. They’re not blocking for him as well. But they will look for a scapegoat. If being a ‘Swiftie’ is a scapegoat they’ll use it.”
Despite their recent struggles, the Chiefs still maintain their position atop the AFC West with two games remaining in the regular season. While some may speculate about external factors, Merriman’s comments highlight the importance of focusing on the team’s performance on the field as they aim to regain their winning form.
