Warren Sapp on MAGA's claim Taylor Swift is a plant: 'Doesn't matter what insane people think'

BOCA RATON — At first, Warren Sapp made it appear he had no idea about the controversy surrounding Taylor Swift's romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

"I don't listen to that news," Sapp said about FOX. "I haven't seen Taylor Swift."

And then he admitted he's very familiar with the global megastar who has MAGA claiming she is an election interference psyop and the NFL playoffs, including Sunday's Super Bowl pairing Kelce's Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, is rigged.

"It doesn't matter what insane people think," said Sapp, a former Miami Hurricane and Tampa Bay Buccaneer and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"MAGA is only 30 percent of the Republican Party but they've taken it over. It's always the minority with wild ideas that's going to take it over. Go ahead. Like a bad cold, just let it run its course."

NFL legends who played Wednesday at Broken Sound to help promote the new PGA Tour Champions event starting next year that will include football Hall of Famers, are all in on welcoming Swift, and an entire new generation of fans, to their game.

"It's good for the game," said Hall of Fame linebacker Rickey Jackson, who grew up in Pahokee. "They aren't doing anything wrong but having fun."

"The NFL appreciates it because it's bringing more eyeballs," said Ronde Barber, the Hall of Fame cornerback who helped the Bucs win their first Super Bowl.

But many Republicans disagree. Swift's relationship with Kelce has them shouting "conspiracy theory," as if she is some Democratic plant to tilt the Presidential election in President Joe Biden's favor. They claim the playoffs were rigged to get the Chiefs to the Super Bowl for Swift to have an even bigger stage to endorse Biden.

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Which, they say, is coming Sunday. At halftime. Maybe during Usher's performance.

"That's way too far into the weeds for anybody to believe to actually be possible," said Barber, who spent his 16-year career with the Buccaneers.

Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Sterling Sharpe is amused by the MAGA meltdown.

"Anytime you can get someone who can bring more eyes on the NFL it's a good thing," the Hall of Famer said. "If it's Taylor Swift and her relationship with Travis Kelce, I'm all for it.

"And Travis Kelce is playing outstanding football. I like there is another big-time celebrity involved in our game. I think it's wonderful."

Sapp, who played nine years with the Buccaneers, including the Super Bowl winning season of 2002, believes Swift's visibility is enhanced by the fact she's dating one of the best to ever play his position who is having the best stretch of his season in the postseason.

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"Wasn't Jessica Simpson jumping around for Romo?" Sapp said about former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's romance with the singer. "She didn't take over. That player has to be good enough. We never saw Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo … because he wasn't that good.

"Get over it. Taylor Swift is beautiful for everything involved and her man is balling. There is nothing wrong with something soft and beautiful on the TV at a football game especially when her man is putting up 11 catches."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Warren Sapp: MAGA Republicans who believe Taylor Swift's a psyop 'insane'