Getty Nickelodeon had a joke ready for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce during their 2024 Super Bowl broadcast.
The 2024 Super Bowl is being simulcast on CBS and Nickelodeon. And the latter broadcast decided to have some fun with Kansas City Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce during the big game.
As football got underway, Nickelodeon referred to Kelce as “Taylor Swift’s boyfriend” in an on-screen graphic that was shared by ex-NFL quarterback Chase Daniel on X. The graphic labeled Kelce as “good at football.”
Nickelodeon’s broadcast 😂😂😂
The playful jab was just one way Nickelodeon’s coverage attempted to separate themselves from CBS, however. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was also shown wearing a pirate hat — with a parrot on his shoulder — while famed Nickelodeon characters SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny) and Patrick Star (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) joined Nate Burleson and Noah Eagle in the broadcast booth.
Fellow SpongeBob characters Sandy Cheeks (voiced by Carolyn Lawrence) and Larry the Lobster (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) have been involved in the coverage of the 2024 Super Bowl as well. And of course, all touchdowns included slime time.
Nickelodeon Drops Chiefs ‘Look-Alikes’ for Patrick Mahomes & Andy Reid Ahead of Super Bowl
Kelce wasn’t the only NFL figure that Nickelodeon had some fun with. Ahead of the Super Bowl, the television network dropped “look-alikes” for Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.
The Harold SquarePants and Otto Rocket comps for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are SPOT ON 👀
The Super Bowl—Live from Bikini Bottom—will start at 6:30pm ET on @Nickelodeon. A great way to watch the game with your kids 🤟
Blogging the Boys writer Brandon Loree shared them on X, voicing that “the Harold SquarePants and Otto Rocket comps for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are SPOT ON.”
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey also caught some flak from Patrick Star after his early fumble. The Nickelodeon character advised him to “firmly grasp” the football after coughing it up.
Finally, celebrities LeBron James, Vin Diesel, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Samuel L. Jackson, Doja Cat and Oprah Winfrey all received pun-related shoutouts on Nickelodeon too.
Whether you’re watching the Super Bowl on CBS or Nickelodeon, there’s something for all ages this year. The simulcast is part of the NFL’s efforts to catch the attention of younger audiences.
49ers Lead Chiefs at Halftime of Super Bowl
In terms of the actual on-field product, Kansas City got off to a slow start in the 2024 Super Bowl.
Despite completing 11 of his first 13 passing attempts, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to only three points in the first half. His longest completion was a beautiful deep ball to wide receiver Mecole Hardman that went 52 yards.
However, running back Isiah Pacheco fumbled the ball on the following play.
Kelce was held to just 1 yard of offensive production during the first half, while rookie Rashee Rice had four catches for 20 yards. Mahomes — who was sacked twice — accounted for 130 yards of total production, combining his passing and rushing numbers.
At a low scoreline of 10-3, keeping the Chiefs in the game is their defense. Sound familiar?
Steve Spagnuolo’s unit has been the driving force for KC all year, and that’s been the case during the Super Bowl.
McCaffrey leads the way for the 49ers. The superstar dual threat has 80 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, despite the turnover. His TD reception came on a trick play courtesy of wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
Like Mahomes, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy has exactly 123 passing yards through two quarters of play. We’ll see if the Chiefs can mount a comeback during the second half of the season’s finale.