Kaylah Walton
Country star Zach Bryan has taken down his X (formerly Twitter) account following criticism stemming from a contentious post that featured Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and the NFL.
On Wednesday, Bryan sparked disagreement among fans by tweeting a comparison between Swift and West while making a jab at the Kansas City Chiefs.
In his tweet, Bryan said, “eagles > chiefs, Kanye > Taylor. Who’s with me?” This comment alluded to the NFL rivalry between the Eagles and Chiefs, while also referencing the ongoing dispute between Swift and West.
This tweet gained traction especially since Swift’s partner, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, along with his brother Jason Kelce, a former Eagles player, play significant roles in the NFL.
Swift’s dedicated fanbase, known as “Swifties,” reacted swiftly, which led Bryan to retract his remarks.
Prior to shutting down his account, Bryan clarified that his post was the result of having consumed alcohol.
“Guys, I love Taylor. [I] was listening to TTPD last night and ‘Thank You Aimee’ came on and I drunkenly tweeted that about Kanye,” Bryan explained.
“If anyone took it seriously, please understand I appreciate both artists a lot and feel we are in a beautiful era of music.”
Bryan in the spotlight among Swifties
Even with his explanation, the harm was done as screenshots of his tweet circulated widely on social media.
The pop culture account @PopCrave amplified the post, which garnered over 1.1 million views and ignited lively debates among fans.
Swifties wasted no time criticizing Bryan, with one commenter noting, “He should have known better than to provoke the Swifties.” Conversely, some defended him, asserting, “Facts Kanye > Taylor.”
This incident also rekindled conversations about the notorious 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, where Kanye West interrupted Swift‘s acceptance speech, an event that has significantly influenced their public rivalry ever since.
Although Bryan has disabled his X account, the debate rages on online, with fervent reactions from both Swift‘s supporters and those who aligned with Bryan‘s initial tweet.
