Super Bowl Conspiracy Theories: Is the NFL Rigged?
Heading into Championship Sunday, many NFL fans pointed out that the colors of past Super Bowl logos happened to correlate with the teams playing in the Super Bowl. For instance, Super Bowl LVI’s logo featured the colors orange and yellow, corresponding to the teams that played: the Cincinnati Bengals, who wear orange, and the Los Angeles Rams, known for their yellow colors.
This year’s Super Bowl logo features hues of purple and red, leading many fans to wonder if there was some sort of “script” as the San Francisco 49ers (red) and the Baltimore Ravens (purple) were two of the final four teams remaining. But with the Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs (red), this year’s Super Bowl will feature two red teams (alongside a world-famous fan with a seven-time Platinum album titled “Red”).
Some fans online are now arguing that the NFL rigged the Chiefs/Ravens game so that it could get the bump in viewership from Taylor Swift attending the Super Bowl.
Jack Lombardi, a conservative commentator, argued on X.com that the Super Bowl is rigged so that the Chiefs will win and then Travis Kelce and Swift will endorse President Joe Biden for the 2024 election. His post, in which he claims “I have never been more convinced that the Super Bowl is rigged” has been viewed more than five million times.
Regardless of the Ravens game result, conspiracy theorists could have found grounds for speculation: a Ravens win would have seemed to confirm the Super Bowl logo conspiracy, while their loss could be construed as the NFL favoring the Chiefs and Swift for the big game to boost ratings.
The NFL itself toyed with the idea of games being rigged or the season having a “script” at the start of the year. After a joke that originated from Barstool Sports’ Macrodosing podcast hosted by former NFL legend Arian Foster and former used-dog salesman PFT Commenter, the NFL tweeted a skit about the league’s “script” for the season.
While these conspiracy theories make for interesting discussion, it is important to remember that they are just theories. The NFL is a highly regulated and competitive sports league, and the outcome of games is determined by the skills and efforts of the players and coaches on the field.
So, as we gear up for the Super Bowl, let’s enjoy the game for what it is: a thrilling display of athleticism and competition. And if we happen to see Taylor Swift in the crowd, let’s appreciate her as a passionate fan, rather than as a catalyst for conspiracy theories.
