Caitlin Clark Accused of Faking Kansas City Chiefs Fandom After Sitting with Taylor Swift During Texans Win, Claims Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo
By Max Winters
Published: 23:29 GMT, 20 January 2025 | Updated: 23:30 GMT, 20 January 2025
Caitlin Clark, one of the most celebrated stars in women’s basketball, has found herself at the center of a controversy after being accused of faking her fandom for the Kansas City Chiefs. The accusations came from none other than ESPN’s Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo, who questioned Clark’s loyalty to the Chiefs after she was spotted sitting with pop sensation Taylor Swift in a VIP suite during the Chiefs’ dramatic victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.
The game in question, which was pivotal in the Chiefs’ ongoing quest for a historic Super Bowl three-peat, saw the Chiefs come from behind to defeat the Texans 23-14. In a thrilling final quarter, Chiefs star Travis Kelce, who had been on fire throughout the game, scored a crucial touchdown that gave the Chiefs an eight-point lead. The game’s tense finale left fans on the edge of their seats, and it was clear from the ecstatic reactions in the VIP suite that the Chiefs’ victory was not only celebrated by the team but also by their high-profile guests.
Among those in the suite was Caitlin Clark, who was seated next to none other than Taylor Swift, the pop megastar who has been frequently associated with the Chiefs due to her romance with tight end Travis Kelce. Swift, known for her passionate and public displays of support for Kelce and his team, could not contain her excitement when Kelce scored the game-changing touchdown. She leapt to her feet, hugging Clark in a moment of pure joy, capturing the attention of both the media and fans who were watching from home.
However, what appeared to be an innocent moment of celebration between two high-profile women soon became a point of contention. While it was certainly a spectacle to see Clark, a household name in the world of women’s basketball, celebrating alongside Swift, the incident sparked a debate over Clark’s supposed Chiefs fandom.
Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA, has been a long-time supporter of the Chiefs, and her attendance at the game alongside Swift was not her first foray into supporting the team. In fact, Clark was recently a guest on the popular podcast New Heights, hosted by Chiefs players Travis and Jason Kelce. During her appearance on the show, Clark openly discussed her love for the team and expressed her admiration for the Kelce brothers, particularly Travis, who she described as a “dynamic player” and a “leader on and off the field.”
Despite Clark’s public declarations of Chiefs support, ESPN’s Chris Russo was quick to cast doubt on her commitment to the team. On his popular sports radio show, Russo suggested that Clark’s loyalty was questionable, claiming that her fandom appeared to be “more about jumping on the bandwagon of a winning team rather than a deep, genuine love for the Chiefs.” Russo’s comments were particularly pointed, as he noted that he had never seen Clark express any kind of Chiefs allegiance during her time at Iowa University or in her WNBA career. He went on to say that Clark’s sudden public appearances supporting the Chiefs, including her presence in the VIP suite with Taylor Swift, felt more like a publicity stunt than a true expression of fandom.
“Look, it’s hard to take someone seriously as a lifelong fan of the Kansas City Chiefs when you’ve never shown any interest in the team until they start winning Super Bowls,” Russo argued on air. “Caitlin Clark is a great basketball player, but this Chiefs thing? I don’t buy it. She’s just hopping on the winning team, and that’s not real fandom.”
Russo’s comments have sparked a fierce debate among sports fans and commentators. Some have rallied behind him, agreeing that Clark’s apparent sudden shift in allegiance could be seen as opportunistic, while others have defended the WNBA star, pointing out that fandom is fluid and can be cultivated over time, even if it wasn’t always apparent in the past.
“I’m a lifelong Chiefs fan, and I’ve been watching them for years,” Clark said during her appearance on the New Heights podcast. “I’ve always been a fan of the Kelce brothers, and when I had the chance to come and watch a game live, I jumped at it. There’s no bandwagon here; I’ve been supporting this team for a long time. You don’t have to be from Kansas City to be a Chiefs fan.”
Clark, who has gained immense popularity in the sports world due to her stellar performances on the basketball court, has always been an outspoken individual. In an interview shortly after her appearance at the game, she reiterated that her fandom for the Chiefs was authentic, stating that she had grown up watching football with her family and had long admired players like Travis Kelce.
While the controversy surrounding Clark’s Chiefs fandom has dominated the headlines in recent days, it’s worth noting that her presence in the VIP suite was not entirely out of character. As one of the most prominent athletes in the country, Clark has had the opportunity to meet and form relationships with various high-profile figures in sports and entertainment, including Travis Kelce and his brother Jason. Both brothers have publicly praised Clark’s basketball skills, and it was clear that their bond extended beyond the realm of football and basketball.
Moreover, Clark’s appearance at the game was not the first time she had been in the public eye for supporting the Chiefs. She had previously shared photos on social media wearing Chiefs gear and had openly expressed her admiration for the team’s talent and leadership. Despite these past gestures, however, Russo’s comments about Clark’s supposed bandwagon fandom continue to generate significant buzz, with many questioning whether Clark’s public display of support for the Chiefs is genuine or a product of the team’s recent success.
The tension surrounding Clark’s relationship with the Chiefs raises broader questions about what it means to be a “true” fan. Is it enough to support a team because of its success, or must there be a long-standing, deeply rooted connection to the team to be considered a legitimate fan? The debate rages on, with some fans arguing that anyone who supports a team deserves to be considered a fan, regardless of when they began their allegiance, while others insist that true fandom is about more than just hopping on the bandwagon during a period of success.
For Caitlin Clark, the issue of her Chiefs fandom may be far less important than her impressive achievements on the basketball court, where she continues to excel as one of the top players in the WNBA. However, the controversy surrounding her support for the Chiefs has brought attention to the intersection of sports and celebrity culture, where loyalty to a team can be questioned based on external factors, such as social media visibility or the company you keep.
As the Chiefs continue their quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory, and as Caitlin Clark’s star continues to rise in the sports world, it seems unlikely that this debate over her fandom will subside anytime soon. Whether or not Clark’s support for the Chiefs is genuine, one thing is clear: the conversation surrounding her has only added fuel to the fire of sports fandom culture, and the lines between genuine loyalty and opportunistic bandwagoning are becoming increasingly blurred.
