Sports talk show host Colin Cowherd put NFL watchers complaining about Taylor Swift on blast, calling them “weird, lonely, insecure men” who resent women on his Fox Sports broadcast Tuesday.
“The fact that the world’s biggest pop star is dating a star tight end, who had one of his greatest games ever, and a network puts them on the air briefly, that it bothers you, what does that say about your life?” Cowherd said on “The Herd.”
The romance between Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was on display Sunday as the Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship game, with cameras cutting to Swift as she cheered from the stands.
Swift appeared onscreen for an average of less than 25 seconds during NFL broadcasts of the Chiefs games she has appeared at, according to an analysis of the media coverage by The New York Times cited by Cowherd.
He contrasted the venom directed at Swift with the reaction to male celebrities who attend sporting events, like Matthew McConaughey, Drake and Jack Nicholson.
“We celebrate it. … But a talented and beautiful woman is on the air — one who would never pay attention to lonely men — and it bothers them,” Cowherd said.
“There’s a stat out there, it’s kind of uncomfortable for you sad guys, that 50% of men never have real intimacy with a woman,” he continued. “That means the other 50% have multiple intimate relationships with women. And the ones that don’t are angry and sad and lonely, and they are often misogynistic and resent women who didn’t give them the time they think they deserve.”
“This anger says nothing about Taylor Swift. It says everything about the men bothered by it,” Cowherd concluded.
Former “Late Show” host David Letterman defended Swift this week, when he told disgruntled NFL fans to “shut up” and celebrate Kelce and Swift’s relationship.
Former NFL punter-turned-talk show host Pat McAfee also defended the relationship on his live show Monday.
“All the people that were wishing failure upon Tay-vis had to watch this video and go ‘aww.’ Maybe they’re humans and they like each other and they’re perfect for each other,” McAfee said in reference to the clip of Kelce and Swift’s embrace.
Kelce also commented on media attention around his relationship ahead of Sunday’s game, telling reporters that their happiness is all that matters.
“We can’t listen to anything that’s outside noise,” he said.
The Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.
Natalie Kainz is a news associate for NBC News.
