Travis Kelce may still be searching for his first touchdown of the season, but another NFL tight end found the end zone in a play that made waves for its unique name—”Taylor Swift.” Last Sunday, Washington Commanders rookie tight end Ben Sinnott made his mark during a dominant 34-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The undrafted rookie had yet to record a catch in his first six games but broke through in the third quarter when quarterback Marcus Mariota connected with him for a three-yard touchdown.
The score not only marked Sinnott’s first NFL touchdown, but it also came on a play curiously named after global pop icon Taylor Swift.
On Thursday, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury revealed that Sinnott’s touchdown came on a play dubbed “Taylor Swift.”
While fans might be eager to uncover a deeper meaning behind the name, Kingsbury downplayed any significant connection. According to The Athletic’s Ben Standig, Kingsbury explained that the Commanders have several plays named after pop stars, and “Taylor Swift” was simply one that hadn’t been used until now. The offensive coordinator admitted that he had drawn up the play three weeks earlier but waited for the right moment to call it.
Despite the Swift-inspired name, there’s no known connection between the singer and Sinnott. However, that didn’t stop some fans from having fun with the coincidence. A few pointed out that Sinnott is 22 years old—the same age mentioned in one of Swift’s famous songs—and noted that he caught two passes on two targets in Week 7. While likely a coincidence, it gave Swifties and football fans something to smile about.
Unfortunately, the Commanders won’t get a chance to run the “Taylor Swift” play against the Kansas City Chiefs, where Swift’s rumored beau, Travis Kelce, plays. The two teams are not scheduled to meet this season, and their only potential showdown would be in the Super Bowl—a matchup that, given the Commanders’ hot start, isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Washington has already exceeded expectations, surpassing last season’s win total (four) with a strong 5-2 record. Their high-powered offense, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, has been a revelation.
Daniels has completed 75.6 percent of his passes and boasts a 107.0 quarterback rating, helping the Commanders lead the league in scoring with 31.1 points per game.
If they continue their momentum, a deep playoff run could be on the horizon for a franchise that hasn’t won a postseason game since January 2006—back when Swift had yet to release her debut album.
As for Sinnott, his first career touchdown on the “Taylor Swift” play is a memorable milestone, and with the Commanders’ creative play-calling, fans can expect more fun names to pop up throughout the season.
Next up for Washington is a matchup against the Chicago Bears, and who knows—perhaps Kingsbury will dial up another pop star-themed play in their next game.
