The NFL seemingly found a balance in its coverage of Taylor Swift during Kansas City Chiefs games, drastically lowering her on-screen appearances in reaction to complaints from fans online last season. In the AFC Divisional Round game between the Chiefs and the Houston Texans, Swift’s total screen time amounted to less than a minute, which saw minimal frustrations compared to her routine visibility during broadcasts in the past.

According to data from JP Analyst, the broadcast of the Chiefs’ 23-14 victory over the Texans lasted three hours and four minutes, or just over 11,000 seconds of airtime. Swift appeared for just 35 seconds throughout the game, which was a notable decrease from her vast coverage during last year’s playoffs. Most of her camera time featured her alongside WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark as the two watched the game from the Chiefs suite at Arrowhead Stadium.

The reduction in coverage this season is a stark contrast to last season when the NFL was accused of favoring the Chiefs due to Swift’s star power. Fans were particularly vocal about her debut appearance when the NFL’s TikTok account promoted it with a video captioned, “She’s here,” which many perceived as unnecessary hype.

Last season, Swift’s on-screen time reached its peak during the Wild Card matchup against the Miami Dolphins, where she was shown bearing the cold for over a minute in freezing temperatures. Swift braved highs of 10 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in Kansas City and lows of -4 degrees that night in weather so cold that it frosted the glass suite windows.

Swift’s relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been a hot topic since it became public, and her reactions to his highlight plays last season made nearly every broadcast. Swift herself has de-emphasized the desire for NFL airtime, telling Time magazine, “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and ——- off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”

Despite her reduced presence, Swift remains a polarizing figure in the NFL world. Analyst Chris “Mad Dog” Russo expressed frustration with her coverage during the divisional game, but other fans and commentators seem less bothered this season. Even Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brett Favre weighed in last year, calling Swift a potential distraction to the Chiefs’ title hopes—a claim the team disproved by winning the championship.

Swift’s screen time during last season’s playoff run far exceeded this year’s levels. She was shown for 25 seconds in the AFC Divisional Round against the Bills, 44 seconds during the conference championship against the Ravens, and 54 seconds in the Chiefs’ overtime Super Bowl victory. Her presence was highlighted during Kelce’s record-breaking postseason performance and the couple’s celebratory moments on the field.

The NFL’s conscious effort to reduce Swift’s visibility during broadcasts seems to have tempered fan frustrations, allowing the focus to return to the action on the field while maintaining just enough star power to engage a broader audience. Whether this balance will persist through the remainder of the playoffs remains to be seen.