Kirk Herbstreit, an analyst for Amazon Prime, has weighed in on the backlash directed at networks for their coverage of Taylor Swift during NFL games, expressing his confusion regarding the criticism.
During a recent conversation with Pastor Levi Lusko on “Faith and Football,” Herbstreit shared his perspective on the matter, emphasizing his focus on football rather than pop culture. He recounted his experience calling a game alongside Al Michaels, where Swift was in attendance. Herbstreit recalled discussing with Michaels the appropriate frequency of showing Swift on camera during the broadcast, with Michaels exercising discretion and restraint in capturing Swift’s presence.
I don’t get the ‘broken football’ part of it. I don’t know a whole lot about Taylor Swift, I know a lot about football. I called a game with Al Michaels this year with the Chiefs. She was there. We talked about it in our production meeting. ‘Ok, how many times are we gonna show Taylor Swift?’ And I think Al Michaels, who is the best to have ever done it, was in total control of ‘hey, when it’s warranted, we’ll cut to her.’ I think we cut to her one or two times throughout the broadcast.
It’s amazing how everything’s a thing in today’s world. I don’t know how she’s become a negative thing. Travis Kelce and her seem to have a great relationship … That’s kind of our new world. Has been for the last three-and-a-half, four years.
RELATED: Lip Reader Reveals Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift Special Moment Following Super Bowl
Herbstreit remarked on the prevalence of such occurrences in today’s media landscape, noting the tendency for trivial matters to gain attention. He expressed his perplexity at Swift becoming a target of negativity, particularly given her positive relationship with Chiefs player Travis Kelce.
The discussion also touched upon Swift’s appearance at the Super Bowl, where cameras intermittently captured her reactions during plays. According to the Houston Chronicle, these cutaways amounted to a total of 53 seconds throughout the 4-hour, 20-minute broadcast, indicating a relatively minor presence.
Overall, Herbstreit’s perspective highlights the challenge of balancing entertainment and sports coverage in today’s media environment, where even minor occurrences can stir controversy.
