Saturday Night Live is clearly full of Swifties, judging from the season 49 premiere sketches and celebrity cameos.
In one skit, the SNL cast — and episode host Pete Davidson — portrayed NFL reporters and analysts covering the Philadelphia Eagles game against the “cursed” New York Jets. Their broadcast quickly divulged into a discussion of Taylor Swift.
“It’s Week 7, and if any Taylor Swift fans are watching, the Chiefs game was Thursday. You just missed her,” Kenan Thompson — playing commentator Curt Menefee — quipped, referring to Swift, 33, attending Travis Kelce’s home game earlier this week.
While Mikey Day’s Howie Long proclaimed that “this was a show about football,” and not Swift, he couldn’t resist showing off his own fandom — and support (or lack thereof) to her current and past relationships.
“Boyfriend? Hold on there, no one said, ‘boyfriend,’” Day, 43, added, seemingly referring to Swift’s newfound romance with Kelce, 34. “Let’s not jump to conclusions here.”
James Austin Johnson, acting as Jimmy Johnson, then chimed in to explain that Swift and Kelce are “taking their time” and solely “hanging out” right now.
Molly Kearney’s Terry Bradshaw — whom Thompson, 45, said was there for “comedic relief” — respectfully disagreed. “She’s in the luxury box with Mama [Donna] Kelce, knocking back cocktails with Deadpool,” Kearney, 31, added, referring to Swift bringing her squad, including Ryan Reynolds, to the Chiefs game on October 1. “Folks, they’re official!”
The group even praised Kelce as a better suitor compared to Swift’s past love interests Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy. (Swift dated Alwyn, 32, for six years before they split in April, where she then briefly romanced Healy, 34.)
“Hey, I’m just glad it’s not Matty Healy,” Johnson, 34, added, to which his colleagues didn’t want to sully their broadcast with the 1975 frontman’s name.
“Whatever it is, I want to say to Travis Kelce, from one Super Bowl champion to another, this is a way bigger deal than the Super Bowl,” Devon Walker’s Michael Strahan said. “You cannot mess this up. This is very, very ‘Delicate!’”
The skit then compared her connection with Kelce to Alwyn.
“Come on, it’s so early. You’re treating it like it’s Joe all over again,” Johnson said. “That won’t end well. Didn’t you listen to ‘Karma?’”
While Day’s Long argued Swift’s song “Karma” is not about Alwyn — pointing out that “not everything has to be about Joe” — Johnson referred to her six-year romance with the actor as a “formative relationship.”
The crew eventually turned the broadcast over to a sideline reporter, where Davidson, 29, was standing by as reporter Kenny DiTullio. The King of Staten Island star was dressed in an Eras Tour sweatshirt and a pink fuzzy cowboy hat, as well as an arm full of friendship bracelets. Davidson, who also painted a 13 on his hand like Swift’s Fearless era, proclaimed he was “devastated” that Swift was not in attendance.
“What do you mean, why? Because there was a rumor online that she was coming to cheer on Travis Kelce’s brother, Jason [Kelce], who plays for the Eagles,” Davidson added when asked why he thought the Grammy winner might show up. “But, so far, no sign of Blondie. I’m starting to wonder why I’m even here.”
Thompson eventually got fed up that his colleagues only wanted to talk about Swift. “Knock it off, people tuned in for football, OK?” he quipped. “Let’s take a break [and] when we come back, we will get into this heated East Coast rivalry. … We are going to speak with someone, who actually wants to talk football.”
The cameras then cut to Travis — who previously hosted an episode of SNL season 48 — standing on the sidelines.
“Yes, me!” Travis exclaimed at the very end of the sketch. He also mouthed the words, “Come on.”
Travis and Swift have been linked since July after he attempted to exchange numbers after her Eras Tour stop in Kansas City. They have since gone on a few dates, with a source telling Us earlier this month that both Swift and Kelce “really like each other” and want to continue meeting up when their respective busy schedules align.
The insider also noted that Swift still plans to attend several of Kelce’s games, but not every single one. “Taylor doesn’t want to be a distraction to Travis,” the source tells Us. “She knows it’s not easy when she shows up to his games. It’s a spectacle. She wants to support him and strike a balance while, at the same time, not be distracting to the team.”
Swift was also in New York City on Saturday for the SNL taping, where she made an equally surprising cameo to introduce musical guest Ice Spice’s performance. (Ice Spice, 23, became friends with Swift when they duetted on a remixed version of “Karma,” which they premiered at the Eras Tour concert in New Jersey.)
Saturday Night Live airs on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
