MIAMI, FLORIDA: Former New York Yankees star and baseball legend Derek Jeter has weighed in on the high-profile romance between Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Jeter, who is also a former CEO of the Miami Marlins and has had his own share of celebrity relationships, says he thinks the couple is bringing more attention to the sports world.
Derek Jeter says sports and music have been intertwined for a long time
Jeter shared his thoughts on how Swift and Kelce are bridging the gap between the entertainment and sports industries.
“I think sports and music have been intertwined for a long, long time,” Jeter said. “In that sense, I don’t think it’s anything new," he told People.
“I think anytime you get a new set of eyes, a new demographic that’s paying attention to sports, [it’s great],” he continued.
“I think Taylor Swift has a lot of fans anyway, so I don’t necessarily think it’s like, ‘Oh, she’s got a new set of fans now.’ They probably were fans anyway. But I think it just puts the sports world into the spotlight," he further said.
Derek Jeter opened up on his family life
Jeter, who retired from baseball in 2014, also opened up about his life with his wife Hannah Davis Jeter and their four children: daughters River Rose, 23 months, Story Grey, four, and Bella Raine, six, and son Kaius Green, six months.
“I didn’t know what to expect before I became a father, but just to see them learn every day, the curiosity they have [is amazing],” Jeter told the publication.
“Even when I leave for a day or two, I come back home, and it seems like they’ve grown so much," he added.
“It’s fun to see them smile. It’s fun to see them on a daily basis just learn so much,” he continued.
Taylor Swift can stay around all she wants, says Andy Reid
Jeter is not the only one from the sports world to have endorsed Kelce and Swift’s relationship.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who is a three-time Super Bowl winner, praised Kelce’s performance and his girlfriend after the Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-17 in October.
“Kelce is getting better with time,” Reid said during a news conference, adding “Taylor can stay around all she wants.”
The 'Anti-Hero' and 'Shake It Off' singer also gained the approval of Kelce’s parents and his elder brother, Jason Kelce, an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jason Kelce said last month that he’s “really happy” for his younger brother, but worried about the heightened spotlight on him while he’s in the orbit of the pop superstar.
“This is another level of stardom that typically football players don’t deal with,” the Eagles center told NBC Sports.
Reid again endorsed Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance on Monday, November 13. “I’m just glad he’s found somebody he likes and she’s found somebody she likes. That’s a good thing,” he said.
