Teair Tart, the Chargers defensive end, has had quite a reaction to the criticism he's been receiving from Taylor Swift fans after an incident involving Travis Kelce.
The two faced off in an intense game between the Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil last Friday, which was as contentious as it was competitive. The headlines were dominated by a shoving match that broke out between the pair at the end of the game, culminating in Tart slapping the now-engaged tight end on the front of his helmet with an open hand.
Interestingly, Tart, who hails from Pennsylvania, wasn't ejected from the game, unlike Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was sent off after just six seconds against the Cowboys. YouTube analyst Terry McAulay explained that officials chose not to eject Tart because "it was an open-hand contact to the head."
In the aftermath of the NFL season opener, both Kelce and Swift fans inundated the 6'2", 315-pound lineman's social media channels with vitriol. One user questioned if football was really the right sport for Tart, while another bragged that Tart would never measure up to Kelce in terms of on-field prowess.
There were also numerous other comments that were highly offensive and insulting to the 28- year- old, prompting Tart to respond.
In retaliation to the backlash from Swifties and Chiefs fans, he posted a new series of photos, three of him on the football field, followed by a movie clip of a man being slapped, captioned: "I'm too swift with it even from Brazil".
Unsurprisingly, the post didn't go down well with supporters of both Swift and her future husband Kelce, triggering even more backlash.The Shake It Off sensation announced their joyful news through a shared social media post. "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married," they wrote, adding a TNT emoji.
For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here.
In one heartwarming photo, Taylor was captured weeping as she embraced her newly-engaged partner. Travis dropped to one knee, encircled by gorgeous blooms in a garden setting, reports the Mirror US.
Appearing overwhelmed with emotion, another image showed the pair posing together, with Travis wrapping his arms around Taylor's waist while she cupped his face as they stared adoringly at each other. Her engagement ring showcased a single large diamond, with the gold band gleaming on her finger in the sunlight.
The future newlyweds made their debut as a betrothed couple last week, showing up at a college football match between Cincinnati Bearcats and the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Kansas City.
For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.