‘Jeopardy!’ stirs controversy with sly dig at Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s relationship

A recent episode of Jeopardy! split fans after a subtle dig at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship

On the Wednesday, November 6 episode of the long-running trivia show, some fans of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and the billionaire pop star were left unimpressed by a question that appeared to throw shade at the NFL star’s comparative fame.

In the $200 question under the category “The TV Show in Question,” Jeopardy! dropped a hint that stirred up fans: “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? is hosted by this man who’s maybe more famous as a BF than a 3-time Super Bowl champ.” Contestant Derek Hieronymus, who ultimately didn’t win Wednesday’s game, quickly buzzed in with the right answer: “Who is Travis Kelce?”

The pop culture trivia question quickly went viral, especially after Jeopardy!’s Instagram account posted it with a cheeky caption: “Sorry to this man.”

Fans swarmed the comments and social media with mixed reactions—some found it hilarious, while others felt it was a slight to suggest Kelce is most famous as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. After all, he’s not only a top NFL tight end but also a game show host, co-host of the popular New Heights podcast with brother Jason, and a star in Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie.

“Jeopardy! was NASTY with Travis Kelce today,” one user commented,

“Travis Kelce is the greatest tight end to ever play in the NFL. He hosted Saturday Night Live a long time before Taylor Swift come into the picture. Jeopardy! is a joke. I stopped watching that show after the late great [host] Alex Trebek passed away,” another remarked.

Others felt it was a pretty good joke, all things considered.

“In fairness, other than American football fans, he wasn’t really known outside of the U.S. until they started dating,” one person noted. “So it’s not incorrect.”

“It’s not a jab,” someone else added. “It’s true…”

Kelce himself doesn’t seem fazed by the “Swift’s boyfriend” title; in fact, he’s called it the life he “chose.”

“I have fun with it,” he shared on CBS Mornings in September. “It comes with the territory of wanting to do fun activities and signing up for cool sponsorships and endorsements.”