Rob Gronkowski Loves How Taylor Swift Inspired New Football Fans

From one tight end to another, Rob Gronkowski approves of Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift.

“I think it’s great [and] it’s great for the NFL,” Gronkowski, 34, exclusively told Us Weekly at his pre-Super Bowl party on Saturday, February 10, in Las Vegas. “She’s bringing a lot more eyeballs to the game, as well and those eyeballs are sticking because the NFL’s a great product.”

Swift and Kelce, both 34, have been dating since summer 2023 after he famously “put [her] on blast” via his podcast regarding his crush. They took their romance public nearly three months later when she attended her first Kansas City Chiefs game. (Kelce is a tight end for the Chiefs, who are the defending Super Bowl champs.)

The Grammy winner has attended 12 of Kelce’s games — Super Bowl LVIII at Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, February 11, is likely to be No. 13 — and is proud to support her man. The NFL has capitalized on Swift’s presence by frequently showing her on camera, which inspired more of her fans to want to watch the games.

“The new eyeballs are loving it and they’re sticking and watching the games as well week in and week out,” Gronkowski added on Saturday at Gronk Beach, held at Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas.

While Gronkowski and other pro athletes have seen the positive impact of Swift’s newfound football fandom, a collective of viewers were less than enthused. Irate fans criticized the NFL for showing Swift on camera more than footage of the actual game.

“I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in. There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once,” Swift told TIME in her 2023 Person of the Year profile. “I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads and Chads.”

For Swift, her sole game day goal is to support Kelce and his career.

“When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” the 14-time Grammy winner added. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”

Swift is expected to attend Sunday’s Super Bowl, with a source telling Us Weekly that she is “doing everything in her power” to get to Vegas from Japan where she had a concert the night before.

Win or lose, Kelce is planning to return the favor and join Swift on the international leg of her Eras Tour next month. (Once the Super Bowl ends, Kelce will be in his NFL offseason.)

Gronkowski will also be at the Super Bowl to attempt to kick a field goal during a live ad for FanDuel.

“I’m super excited about it. Yes, Kick of Destiny 2 is my redemption kick,” he quipped on Saturday. “I missed last year. I’m super excited to hit the kick this time and do it for America and make some money in bonus bets for people.”

With reporting by Hannah Kahn