Marlon Humphrey, player for the Baltimore Ravens, has thrown a direct challenge towards Travis Kelce, the star of the Kansas City Chiefs, by insinuating that the success of the Kelce brothers’ podcast “New Heights” is more related to Taylor Swift’s fame than to the content of the program itself. In a recent episode of his own podcast, “Punch Line,” Humphrey expressed that facing Kelce in the upcoming NFL game is personal, suggesting that the tight end has tried to “take over everything” thanks to his relationship with the famous singer.
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Humphrey, 28, also commented on the multimillion-dollar deal that the Kelce brothers signed with Amazon's Wondery, which guarantees them exclusive advertising and distribution rights for their sports commentary show.
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Rival player accuses that Travis Kelce signed a $100 million contract thanks to Taylor Swift.
According to the Ravens player, the $100 million contract obtained by the Kelce would not have been possible without Swift's influence, suggesting that the popularity of "New Heights" depends largely on Travis' romance with the pop star. "It's not fair, no matter who he's dating," Humphrey stated.
The upcoming game between the Ravens and the Chiefs is seen by Humphrey as a duel not only on the playing field, but also in the realm of podcasting. Alongside his co-host, Jack Settleman, they joked about how this matchup is a "podcast vs. podcast" and about the possibility of their own show receiving a treatment similar to Kelce's if they manage to defeat the Chiefs in the game. Humphrey joked that Travis Kelce would have to "pay for what he has done in the podcast space," suggesting that his success is undeserved.
Despite his critical tone, Humphrey admitted that Travis is "actually a good guy," although he didn't stop making fun of his relationship with Swift and how it has influenced the success of the podcast. The two co-hosts even imagined that Amazon might have included a Swift appearance in an episode of "New Heights" as part of the deal. For their part, the Kelce brothers have acknowledged that Travis' relationship with Swift has generated an increase in the popularity of their podcast, attracting new football fans, especially young women and families who now share an interest in the sport.
However, Humphrey, whose podcast debuted shortly before the relationship between Kelce and Swift became public, seems determined to excel both on the field and in the world of podcasting. His upcoming showdown with Kelce will be an opportunity to see if he can put his words into practice and surpass his rival on both fronts.