Entertainment Sports Stephen A. Smith Passionately Defends Taylor Swift Attending NFL Games: 'She's Going to Support Her Dude' "She probably is gonna have a positive impact on Travis Kelce's performance, okay?" the 'First Take' host said By Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez is a Digital News Writer at PEOPLE. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Journalism. Before joining the team, she worked as an Editor at FanSided and provided work in the celebrity and lifestyle space for brands that include Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, EW, and more. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 10, 2024 07:25PM EST Stephen A. Smith and Taylor Swift. Photo: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Add Stephen A. Smith's name to the list of Swifties! The television personality, 56, defended Taylor Swift while addressing the criticism she has faced for attending Kansas Chiefs tight end and boyfriend Travis Kelce's games during a segment on ESPN's First Take. "I have to take a moment to come to the defense of Taylor Swift," said Smith. "Everybody's sitting up there and acting like she's some kind of impediment, and, excuse me, she did her job. That Eras Tour? Off the chain, [it] generated billions." Smith continued by praising her talent and sharing his experience at one of her concerts. Taylor Swift watches the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 31, 2023. Jamie Squire/Getty Every Time Taylor Swift Went to a Kansas City Chiefs Game — and Whether or Not the Team Won "Now, there is only one Beyoncé to me. Beyoncé all day, every day, but Taylor Swift was phenomenal. I went to the concert. I see these kids; they absolutely love her. The concert was absolutely positively phenomenal, off the chain. She did her job. She's going to support her dude," he said. The sports journalist expressed that the attention Swift, 34, gets from the NFL and fans while attending Kelce's games "ain't her fault." "It's not like she used the games to bump up the concerts. Oh no! Those kids were going to her concerts whether the NFL was promoting her or not," said Smith. "Taylor Swift is that girl. Let's show some respect. She probably is gonna have a positive impact on Travis Kelce's performance, okay? I'm not trying to disrespect Taylor Swift." Travis Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2023. Jamie Squire/Getty Every Game Day Outfit Taylor Swift Has Worn to Cheer on Travis Kelce Swift has regularly attended the athlete's games after he revealed during an interview on The Pat McAfee Show that he invited her to see him play at Arrowhead Stadium. She made a surprise appearance at his Sept. 24 game and enjoyed the view from Kelce's suite alongside his mother, Donna. For his Oct. 1 game (her second game in attendance), she bought a handful of her celebrity friends, including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sophie Turner. She also bought her family for his games in December, including her dad, Scott, and brother, Austin. Kelce, 34, addressed the attention to her presence at his games during an episode of New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. Taylor Swift with her dad Scott at Travis Kelce's game on December 17, 2023. Maddie Meyer/Getty Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I think it's fun when they show who was at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you're watching," he told his brother Jason before agreeing that the NFL was "overdoing it." "They're overdoing it a little bit for sure, especially my situation. [But] I think they're just trying to have fun with it," he suggested.