• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Chiefs’ Impact on Election, From Endorsements to Activity

  • Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes refuses to make a presidential endorsement after Taylor Swift backs Kamala Harris.
  • Caitlin Clark faces online backlash after liking Swift’s Instagram post backing Harris.
Mike Frey-Imagn Images

Does the road to the White House go through Arrowhead Stadium?

Neither Missouri nor Kansas is a swing state in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. But the two-time defending NFL champion Chiefs are increasingly a focal point of the heated political cycle, in part representing a further sign of the league’s omnipresence and power in the broader culture.

Minutes after Tuesday night’s debate between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump, global pop music icon Taylor Swift announced her endorsement of Harris. Swift, the girlfriend of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, cited her desire to be “led with calm and not chaos” in a post on Instagram that has generated more than 10 million likes. 

That, in turn, put a spotlight on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, arguably the NFL’s biggest star and a close friend of Kelce and Swift, recently attending the US Open together. Mahomes is refusing to make any political endorsement. 

“I don’t want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way,” Mahomes said Wednesday.

He later added, “Whenever I’m hanging out with whoever, I’m not thinking about their political views or anything like that. I’m thinking about the people and how they treat other people. And I was with a lot of great people [last] weekend.”

At Home and in the Locker Room

Mahomes, however, has other conservative-leaning elements in his life. His wife, Brittany, has liked several pro-Trump comments on Instagram, and Trump has praised her, saying on Fox News, “I actually like Mrs. Mahomes much better [than Swift], if you want to know the truth. She’s a big Trump fan.”

The quarterback, meanwhile, also came to the defense of teammate and kicker Harrison Butker, now the highest-paid player in NFL history at that position, after he made controversial comments at a Benedictine College commencement address advocating for women as homemakers and attacking LGBTQ+ causes. The NFL quickly distanced itself from the remarks, but Mahomes said “there’s certain things that he said I don’t necessarily agree with, but I understand the person that he is, and he’s trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction.”

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, meanwhile, has a lengthy history of donating to Republican candidates and causes. But during a May visit at the White House with U.S. President Joe Biden, celebrating Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVIII victory, Hunt offered a message of unity, saying, “The amazing thing about sports is how they can bring a community together. … There’s a lot that can divide us today, but for so many of us, sports provide a unifying joy that we all need.”

The NFL was also a notable storyline in the 2016 election cycle, particularly as Trump went after then 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial inequality. Given the unrivaled cultural combination of the Chiefs and Swift, it’s a virtual certainty that political discourse leading up to the Nov. 5 election will continue to flow through Kansas City. 

No Safe Haven for Clark

WNBA rookie phenom Caitlin Clark was among those millions of people to like the Swift post on Instagram. In follow-up questioning from reporters, Clark offered a more neutral message of encouraging people to register to vote. But that wasn’t enough to keep her own Instagram comments from being filled with vitriol

Unlike the more divided political leanings within the NFL, the WNBA has historically had a much more unified voice in favor of Democratic candidates and causes. WNBA players in particular had a notable role in the ouster of former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Georgia Republican, from that office, and she sold her ownership stake in the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream shortly after losing the 2020 election to Raphael Warnock. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

FuboTV

Disney’s Fubo Deal Closes After DOJ Ends Antitrust Review

The deal creates the sixth-largest pay-TV company in the U.S.
Donald Trump Jr. imitates President Donald Trumps as he speaks during a memorial service honoring Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sept. 21, 2025.

The Trumps Are All In on Prediction Markets

Truth Social is launching a platform that will offer sports event contracts.
Adam Silver

Congress Wants to Hear from Adam Silver on Gambling Scandal This Week

Silver said he was “deeply disturbed” by the arrests.

Knicks Send Mamdani Cease-and-Desist Over Campaign Ad

The Mamdani campaign said it is adjusting the ad.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Sep 11, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Injured Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) stands on the sidelines before a WNBA game against the New York Liberty at Wintrust Arena.

After ‘Mebounds’ and ‘Reesebounds,’ Angel Reese Trademarks Her Name

The Sky player has already trademarked “Reesebounds” and “Mebounds.”
May 1, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather (left) stares at Manny Pacquiao during weigh-ins for the upcoming boxing fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
October 29, 2025

Pacquiao Confirms Mayweather Fight Talks After Political Career Fizzles

Pacquiao and Mayweather last fought in May 2015.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Aug 25, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Close up view of the ball and club of Scott Scheffler during the first round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament.
October 27, 2025

From Third Tier to $1M: Michael Brennan’s Surprise PGA Tour Win

The 23-year-old won his first professional start on the PGA Tour.
Oct 26, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a three-point shot in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center.
October 27, 2025

NBA Betting Scandals Overshadow Wembanyama’s Superstar Leap

Wembanyama is following the path of Shohei Ohtani in MLB.
Terry Rozier
October 24, 2025

Terry Rozier Will Be Paid Full NBA Salary While on Leave

The Heat are scheduled to pay Rozier $26.6 million for this season. 
Oct 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) holds the MVP trophy after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in game five of the NLCS during the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium.
October 24, 2025

World Series Will Be First to Showcase Ohtani’s Two-Way Skills

The two-way superstar is slated to pitch in the World Series.