Josh Allen Says NFL’s Coverage of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Is ‘Good for the Brand’ (Exclusive)

Josh Allen discusses the relationship between Taylor Swift and the NFL.

The 27-year-old Buffalo Bills quarterback tells PEOPLE he thinks the NFL’s coverage of Swift’s attendance at games is “obviously good for the brand” amid the singer’s public display of support for her new boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

“I think it’s attracted a lot of viewers to what we’re doing, and I guess in this business you either grow or you die,” Allen says.

The quarterback says he “gets” the strategy of introducing Swift “from a business point of view.” Ultimately, though, his focus remains on “being the best quarterback I can be for the Buffalo Bills.”

Allen, who says he tries “not to pay too much attention” to the media frenzy surrounding Swift, 33, and Kelce, 34, became a hot topic among the singer’s fans during the Bills’ Thursday Night Football win last week.

A video of Allen went viral on social media after fans thought they heard Allen call out “Taylor Swift,” but Allen told PEOPLE he was “actually screaming ‘JR Smith'” during the game.

NFL defends attention to Taylor Swift during games as Travis Kelce says ‘they went a little overboard’

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen 2022 Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Allen slyly compares the viral moment to the infamous black and blue or white and gold dress debacle.

“It’s like…similar to that dress, isn’t it? Was it white and gold or blue and black? I’m not saying we do not have a Taylor Swift call, but in the case of that clip, I was saying JR Smith,” he explains, adding that the Bills “might call” Swift’s name as an audible “at some point during a game later” in the season.

JR Smith previously played in the NBA for multiple teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, before leaving the league in 2020.

Thursday’s win “was a pretty tough game,” Allen says, but he’s proud of his team for pulling out a 24-18 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Quarterback Josh Allen on the field. Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Bills quarterback, meanwhile, says his favorite way to relax after a big game is to “enjoy” with family and friends. “Hopefully, if there’s no trouble, I can just go home after that and put on a few movies in the house, cook a home-cooked meal and be done,” he says.

Despite being one of the NFL’s most popular running backs, “I try to stay under the radar,” says Allen, who recently teamed up with Cash App for an exciting Super Bowl LVIII sweepstakes.

Now through November 9, fans are automatically entered for a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas for an unforgettable four-night experience when they use their Cash App Visa card. “It’s the sweepstakes of life,” says Allen, who appears in a fun campaign ad.

Getting in front of the camera is “kind of challenging,” says Allen. “I’m not the biggest guy in front of the camera.”

But the defender is always ready for a challenge. “I think it’s fun for me to have a little bit of a challenge that way instead of just sitting there and taking pictures or something. I’m putting the acting skills and just trying to do it. It’s fun, but I like to stick to football.”

Allen is no stranger to having his personal life in the public eye – especially since he started dating singer and actress Hailee Steinfeld.

During a performance in August at Sorry, the athlete was asked if he had seen the headlines about him “making out with his girlfriend” since they started spending time together in May.

“The fact that anyone cares about it still blows my mind,” Allen replied.

Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen made their first public appearance together at an NHL game

Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic; Michael Reaves/Getty

The Buffalo Bills star decried the lengths some photographers went to in order to capture a photo of him and Steinfeld, 26. Allen recalled a specific instance in which he spotted a photographer “on board” trying to get a shot of the pair. The NFL star said it’s a “disgusting feeling” and creates a sense of “insecurity” for him and Steinfeld.

Steinfeld and Allen have kept their relationship low-key, but made their first public appearance together earlier this month at a Buffalo Sabers-New York Rangers game in Buffalo, New York.

Steinfeld and Allen were burst into the stands in what looked like an apartment while they watched the season opener, which the Rangers won 5-1.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education