Has Texas’ Matthew McConaughey become college football’s version of Taylor Swift?

Matthew McConaughey’s constant presence at Texas Longhorns games has drawn comparisons to Taylor Swift.

Matthew McConaughey has become the famous face of Texas Longhorns football. A lifelong fan that went to Texas in the late 80s/early 90s, the “Minister of Culture” is a persistent presence during Longhorn games.

It is certainly nothing new. McConaughey was on the sidelines in the Rose Bowl when Vince Young and Texas won the 2005 national title against USC. The actor even partied with Young that night after the game. That’s almost 20 years ago. Texas fans are used to it. Most Texas fans either like it or are amused by it.

But if you watch a lot of Texas football, either as a UT fan or not, it seems to becoming a little much. Twitter was buzzing during the Clemson game with comparisons of McConaughey to Taylor Swift. Swift, of course, is the girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and is a constant go to for TV camera’s broadcasting the game. Every time Kelce touches the ball, the network goes to a cutaway of Swift for her reaction.

That is what McConaughey has become if you’re watching a Texas game. Camera’s cut to Texas’ “No. 1 fan” early and often. McConaughey’s influence on the program seems to have grown over the years along his fame and wealth. Where he used to get a simple sideline pass and occasionally talk to the team at practice, the program has embraced his presence and even celebrate it.

McConaughey is in promo material. He’s allowed to run out of the tunnel onto the field. He’s allowed to grab the mic at the stadium and lead the crowd in cheers. He’s in hype videos. He’s everywhere.

Matthew McConaughey runs onto the field with the Texas Longhorns in the first half of an NCAA College Football Playoffs first round game against the Clemson Tigers at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.

Obviously, there are a lot of benefits to having such a high-profile celebrity has your program’s super fan. He helps with recruiting. He helps with hype. He even helped former Texas Bijan Robinson get a movie role. In 2019, he was literally named as UT’s ‘Minister of Culture.’ The title basically makes him the face of Longhorn spirit.

But even Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has asked McConaughey to back off a bit. The Dazed and Confused star used to talk to players more. Speaking on The Eli Manning Show recently, McConaughey pointed out that he doesn’t interact with them much anymore, saying, “So Sark, he wants to be a singular voice.”

It’s not all McConaughey’s fault. When looking for cutaways, the producers and directors that work game broadcasts look for celebrities and families. With his cowboy hat and leather jacket, McConaughey is an easy cutaway go-to. Same with Taylor Swift.

But a lot anything becomes too much for many people. Some fans probably hope McConaughey would be self-aware enough to back off a little. But that’s rare in the world of celebrity. An honestly, how many Longhorns fans would want to back off if they had his access and influence?

Love him or hate him, the 55-year-old actor is all-in on Texas football. He’s not going anywhere. Let’s just hope if Texas wins the title Sark gets to hold the trophy before McConaughey does.