ESPN's Elle Duncan Issues Bold Message About Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
Elle Duncan; Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
Elle Duncan is the latest person to chime in on the discussions surrounding Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's whirlwind romance—and she's just about had it with the dads, Brads and Chads.
During the latest episode of her podcast, The Elle Duncan Show, the ESPN sports anchor addressed the recent criticism of Swift in light of the Chiefs' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day—a loss that sports commentator Skip Bayless blamed on the "Mastermind" singer for being a "distraction."
But Duncan, 40, had strong feelings about those holding Swift, 34, accountable for her boyfriend's gameplay, speaking out to say she's "so tired" of the unfair chatter about Swift and other women who have dated pro athletes.
"Do NOT blame Taylor Swift for being a 'distraction,' for Travis Kelce not playing well, for the Chiefs not playing good—No, it is not her fault," Duncan said in a clip from this week's podcast episode. "I am so tired of us doing this."
"And we do this to women," she added, before going on to give examples of similar situations in the past, including Jessica Simpson being blamed for Tony Romo's performance and Kim Kardashian becoming a target during her brief relationship with Miles Austin.
"It's always the woman's fault for 'distracting,'" Duncan insisted, noting, "No one's asking if Travis Kelce is distracting her from a world tour—no one's saying that."
Tell them ?? #TaylorSwift13 #TravisKelce #EllenDuncan #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/C9KOXTxfBs
— Maryna Oleksina (@maryna_oleksina) December 26, 2023
"I don't like that," she continued. "I don't like that all of a sudden this has become, 'This is too much. Let's turn it on Taylor. He's distracted,' like he can't carry on a personal life and also a professional life."
That's when Duncan addressed the haters with a bold message, telling them, "Get out of here, he's Travis Kelce—Stop. She's not to blame."
"So please stop. Full stop on that narrative. Not okay. Stop," she concluded.
And Duncan definitely wasn't the only one to feel that way, as Swifties and NFL fans alike were already fuming over Bayless' "distraction" comment, including those who pointed out other players on the team whose performance wasn't up to snuff during Monday's game.
"It's just silly that this even has to be said, but unfortunately it does and it's so very true," one person wrote to Duncan on X after she gave her take on the situation. "Taylor swift or not, it’s silly that a woman in the stands is being blamed for distracting a whole professional damn football team! Silliness."
Others applauded Duncan for speaking her mind, including another user who replied, "Say it again for the Dads, Brads, and Chads!"
Next: Ted Nugent Sends a Harsh Message About Taylor Swift's Music—and Swifties Clap Back