The Eagles safety previously played with Jason Kelce, whose brother Travis has been in a relationship with the superstar since 2023.
Despite growing opposition, Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson reaffirmed his disdain for Taylor Swift.
The champion of Super Bowl 2025 — who played with Jason Kelce, whose sibling Travis Kelce is dating the star — sported a sweatshirt at the team’s victory parade on Friday, Feb. 14 that said: “Swifties can LIX my balls.”
This came after a post on Monday, Feb. 10, where Gardner-Johnson shared an Instagram Story ridiculing Travis, suggesting he would have been better off with his former girlfriend Kayla Nicole instead of dating Swift to secure a Super Bowl victory.
The original post from the safety triggered a wave of criticism from fans across the board, including both Swifties and Eagles followers. Since then, his mother’s eatery in Florida has been overwhelmed by unfavorable reviews on Yelp.
At the Super Bowl, Swift, 35, appeared taken aback but dismissed the jeers from the majority Eagles crowd in the stadium.
The vocalist glanced at her friend, rapper Ice Spice, and her longtime companion Ashley Avignone, casting a slight side-eye at the audience as the trio dismissed the negativity.
In the days leading up to the big match, Swift appeared to be relishing the Big Easy, dining with her boyfriend, tight end and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, along with his wife, Brittany Mahomes, and exploring other attractions with friends and relatives.
The unfavorable reaction to the music icon baffled at least one member of the Eagles: Saquon Barkley.
During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the star running back expressed his disappointment over the crowd’s booing of Swift at the game.
I recall that they displayed her on the Jumbotron and she received boos. I simply don’t understand it. “I don’t understand why she was facing criticism there,” he said to Stern, who concurred.
For Barkley, the Taylor Swift phenomenon has truly been a reality.
“She has enlarged the game,” Barkley remarked, adding, “We’re aiming to broaden the game and her involvement is definitely assisting in that.”