Serena Williams has rushed to support Taylor Swift after the Shake It Off singer faced a chorus of boos from Philadelphia Eagles supporters following an appearance on the jumbotron at yesterday’s Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome.
The 35-year-old singer, who attended to support her boyfriend Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, was met with negative reactions from the pro-Eagles crowd during the early stages of the match.
The moment, captured in video footage shared by the NFL, showed Swift appearing surprised but maintaining her composure alongside friends Ice Spice and Ashley Avignone.
Swift turned to her companions, giving the crowd a side-eye as they collectively shook off the negativity.
According to a lip reader, the Love Story singer appeared to mouth: “Aww, what? What’s going on?”
With social media soon flooded with users’ reactions to the incident, tennis legend Williams quickly came to Swift’s defence on the platform X.
Taylor Swift confused by the boos ☹️ pic.twitter.com/zzstUEmDfp
— RBT (@SamuelBrownRBT) February 9, 2025
“I love you @taylorswift13 don’t listen to those boos!!!” wrote Williams, 43, in a supportive message moments after the incident.
The message came before Williams would make her own appearance at the event, showing solidarity between two of America’s most prominent female performers.
Williams made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance, joining the rapper during his song Not Like Us.
The Compton natives shared the stage in what became a highlight of the show, with Williams showcasing her dance moves through an impressive crip-walking routine.
I love you @taylorswift13 dont listen to those booo!!
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) February 9, 2025
The halftime show proved to be a major draw for viewers, with reports indicating that 1.3 million people stopped watching once Lamar’s performance concluded.
However, the performance drew a mixed response from those who did tune in, with some slamming the performance thanks to Lamar’s “mumbling”.
Williams later shared her dance moment on Instagram, receiving thousands of positive comments.
Meanwhile, Swift was seated in a VIP suite near Travis Kelce’s parents, Donna and Ed Kelce.
The group was joined by Swift’s brother Austin and singer Este Haim, along with her sisters Danielle and Alana.
Other notable celebrities in attendance included Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd and Jay-Z, as the Chiefs attempted to secure what would have been their third consecutive Super Bowl victory.
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Serena Williams made headlines of her own after making a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl half-time show
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The Eagles dominated the match, securing a decisive victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with a final score of 40-14.
The loss marked a disappointing end to the Chiefs’ quest for a third straight Super Bowl title.
The result proved particularly challenging for Swift, coming just days after she left the Grammy Awards without any wins, despite receiving six nominations.
The Philadelphia crowd’s earlier reaction to Swift carried extra significance given her Pennsylvania roots, with the singer having previously discussed being an Eagles fan before her relationship with Kelce began.