Herbie Husker and Taylor Swift
The since-deleted Nebraska football post showed the team’s mascot, Herbie Husker, photoshopped into Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement photo with the caption “Change of plans.” Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

LINCOLN, Neb. (Aug. 29, 2025) — After drawing sharp criticism from Taylor Swift's devoted fanbase, the University of Nebraska's athletic department has taken down a social media post that playfully depicted their mascot, Herbie Husker, replacing NFL star Travis Kelce in a photoshopped version of the couple's engagement photo. The post, captioned "Change of plans," was shared following Nebraska's 20–17 football victory over Kelce's alma mater, the University of Cincinnati, at Arrowhead Stadium—where Swift and Kelce were in attendance.

The joke quickly turned contentious, with fans labeling the image both "disgusting" and "inconsiderate," prompting widespread backlash across social media. In response, Nebraska officials issued a statement acknowledging that the "ill-advised" post detracted from the team's win and decided to remove it to refocus attention on the season-opening victory.

The incident underscores the delicate balance organizations face when humorously referencing high-profile celebrities, particularly those with intensely supportive fan communities like Swift's. Swift and Kelce, who announced their engagement on Aug. 26 and made their public debut as a couple at the game, have not commented on the post or the backlash.

Topics Taylor swift