Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are the new ‘IT’ couple of the NFL. They have been garnering a lot of attention for the Chiefs and bringing Taylor’s audiences to the games as well. Up until now, the club and the league have both greatly benefited from her presence at games. However, after the NFL announced the Chiefs’ schedule, Chad Johnson feels that the emphasis they are putting on Taylor’s attendance could hurt the Chiefs’ performance.
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On NightCap, Chad and Shannon Sharpe spoke about how the 2024 schedule for the Chiefs looks like one of the toughest schedules ever produced. Sharpe even compared it to the challenging schedule of the legendary 1927 New York Yankees, noting the defending champs will be playing every day of the week throughout the regular season except for Tuesday.
Johnson speculates this might ruin the Chiefs’ chances for their three-peat. The league has arguably scheduled games around Taylor’s Eras Tour, and the prevailing theory among Johnson and Sharpe is that they’re placing the Chiefs’ games in slots where it might be possible for Taylor to make an appearance and support Travis Kelce.
Moreover, as per the New York Post, the Chiefs’ schedule for 2024-25 has some interesting overlap with Taylor’s Eras Tour which is set to take place in November. Johnson raised his questions about this while conversing with Sharpe and said,
“I know the NFL is giving him this grueling schedule, obviously the hardest schedule in the NFL amongst the other 31 teams. Do you think the NFL is ruining a potential three-peat by trying to capitalize on the Taylor Swift attendance?”
Sharpe confirmed this, citing the fact that, at the end of the day, the NFL is a business. They have to move towards maximizing their profits. Having Taylor’s presence at the Chiefs game has been contributing to this goal.
Furthermore, Sharpe also mentioned how the NFL Commissioner is looking forward to achieving his revenue goal of $25 billion by 2025, and Taylor’s presence will help. Sadly, Goodell’s goal has pushed the Chiefs into having the toughest schedule in almost 100 years.
The Toughest Schedule of the Century?
During the podcast, Shannon Sharpe also noted that the Chiefs are about to have three games in the span of ten days. They will face the Cleveland Browns on December 15, followed by a bout against the Texans on December 21, and then a Christmas showdown against the Steelers.
Keeping in mind travel, practice, injury, and load management, a schedule like this can give way to injuries, hindering the progress of the team. Indeed, the Chiefs have been dealt a very cruel hand by the NFL.
Moreover, a schedule like this isn’t going to be conducive to their three-peat goal. It only remains to be seen how the Chiefs are going to tackle this challenge. They have prevailed again and again under pressure, and perhaps, they will do it once more in 2024.
