There’s been much speculation surrounding Taylor Swift’s rumoured relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce. Now, the Grammy winner’s recent appearance at a Kansas City Chiefs game has appeared to confirm rumours that the two are spending time together.
On Sunday 24 September, the “Shake It Off” singer was spotted enthusiastically cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs tight end from the box seats at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Not only was Swift seen chatting to Kelce’s mother, Donna, but the 33-year-old musician also seemed to immerse herself in the game, shouting “let’s f***ing go” in response to Kelce’s third-quarter touchdown reception.
After the game, which saw the Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 41-10, Swift and Kelce were filmed leaving the stadium together - with Kelce wearing a 1989-inspired denim outfit, no less. The two escaped the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium in Kelce’s convertible, according to photos and videos posted online, and reportedly rented out a restaurant for a private, post-game celebration.
The football game rendezvous comes amid much speculation that Swift and Kelce are dating. However, rumours surrounding their relationship have been unclear. Kelce’s brother and fellow NFL star, Jason Kelce, even chimed in on Travis’ relationship status, leading to more confusion about whether the pair are actually romantically involved.
Luckily, here’s a full timeline of Swift and Kelce’s rumoured relationship.
It all began on 26 July when Kelce admitted on his podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, that he tried - and failed - to give Swift his number after attending one of her Eras Tour concerts. The 33-year-old football star revealed that he even made Swift a friendship bracelet, in line with Swiftie tradition, but he was left “disappointed” when things didn’t go according to plan.
“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows, because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” he explained to his brother on their podcast. “So I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
“If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it,” Kelce said. However, he wasn’t able to meet Swift after the show, and he jokingly told listeners that he “took it personal”.
While it seemed that Kelce had missed his opportunity to ask Swift out on a date, not all hope was lost, as a source later claimed toThe Messenger that the pair hung out when she was in New York City. “Taylor and Travis have been quietly hanging out,” the source told the outlet on 12 September. “She saw him when she was in NYC a few weeks ago.”
Following the report, a source told Entertainment Tonight that Swift and Kelce are not officially dating. “Travis has been into Taylor for a while and definitely has a crush on her. He is a simple guy that is very funny, charismatic, chill, and loves playing football,” they said.
As speculation began to swirl about their relationship, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce was asked about rumours that his younger brother is dating the Grammy winner. Following the Eagles’ win against the Minnesota Vikings on 14 September, Prime’s Thursday Night Football co-host Tony Gonzalez couldn’t hold back when he asked Jason about their relationship status.
“I’ve seen these rumours. I cannot comment,” Jason replied. The 35-year-old father of three noted that ever since his brother’s short-lived reality dating series Catching Kelce, which premiered on E! in 2016, “everyone’s been infatuated with Travis’ love life”.
“I don’t really know what’s going on there,” he continued. “I know Travis is having fun, we’ll see what happens with whoever he ends up with.”
On 17 September, an NFL announcer made an amusing reference to Swift’s hit 2014 single, “Blank Space”, after Kelce made his first touchdown of the NFL season. “Kelce finds a blank space for the score,” said announcer Ian Eagle, moments after the Kansas City Chiefs player caught a pass in the end zone.
When fellow NFL commentator Rich Eisen made another joke about the rumoured couple that same day, Kelce couldn’t help but react to the pun on social media. “You saw it on Thursday night, when Travis Kelce wasn’t in there, it left a ‘blank space,’ but I think he returns today and proves to be the ‘anti-hero.’ Never goes ‘out of style,’” Eisen said, referring to three of Swift’s songs: “Blank Space,” “Style,” and “Anti-Hero.”
When Eisen posted the segment on his Instagram, Kelce simply laughed it off in the comments and wrote: “Well played Rich... Well played.”
As rumours surrounding Kelce’s relationship with Swift continued to circulate, he opened up about finding love on Kristin Cavallari’s Let’s Be Honest podcast on 19 September. “To really dive into a relationship with somebody … it’s going to take some time,” the football player shared, adding that “stuff he’s been through in his past” tends to make him hesitant to start a relationship.
“You’ve really got to know somebody to take that step and really be committed and be in full throttle,” Kelce continued. “I can’t just meet somebody and automatically think that forever is just a day away. It’s too much. I’m setting myself up for failure.”
He explained how he felt love at first sight isn’t super common, and that he needs “quite a bit of time” to get to know someone before he can be able to feel “that affection and love for them”.
“As you get to know somebody, or you get to see their tendencies or what they do on a daily basis, I think all of that [love] can grow 100 per cent,” he added.
While Jason was previously tight-lipped about his brother’s love life, he seemed to change his tune when he claimed that rumours surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs star and the “Anti-Hero” singer were “100 per cent true”.
On 20 September, the Philadelphia Eagles player was once again asked about his brother’s relationship on DeCamara & Ritchie on Audacy’s 94WIP Morning Show. “It’s hard to answer because I don’t really know a lot about Travis’ love life,” he replied. “I try to keep his business kind of his business, stay out of that world. But having said that, I think he’s doing great and I think it’s all 100 per cent true.”
“And I hope this thing goes a mile - no, I’m joking, I don’t know what’s happening,” he added.
Kelce was then forced to address his older brother’s comments on an episode of The Pat McAfee Show, which aired on 21 September. Although he didn’t specify whether he’s single, he did express his amusement over the ongoing relationship rumours during the ESPN show.
“It’s hilarious how much traction this has actually gotten, right now it’s like a game of telephone,” he said. “Where everybody’s whispering in each other’s ears and hearing random stuff.”
He poked fun at his brother for commenting on his speculated relationship with Swift, as he claimed that the Philadelphia Eagles star doesn’t know much about his love life. “No one actually knows what’s going on, especially when you got Jason Kelce on live television telling people just both sides - he doesn’t know, it’s true, this and that,” he said. “The guy is absolutely ridiculous. Can’t stay out of the freaking headlines.”
After encouraging people to stop asking his “brother about [his] dating life,” Kelce noted that he’s still open to pursuing a relationship with Swift. He also claimed that he’s reached out to her, and subtly asked if she’d want to attend one of his football games.
“I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court,” he said. “I told her, you know, I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead [Stadium], you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit. So, we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
Now, it seems that Swift actually took Kelce up on his offer to attend a Kansas City Chiefs game. However, fans of the rumoured couple shouldn’t be excited just yet. Following Swift’s NFL appearance, a source told People on 25 September that the singer simply thought the outing would be a fun way to spend her day.
“Taylor is very focused on work right now and hanging out with her girlfriends,” the source said. “Travis invited her to the game, and of course she said yes. She just thought it was a fantastic way to spend Sunday.”
Most recently, Swift was linked to The 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Prior to their short-lived romance, which came to an end in June, she and British actor Joe Alwyn called it quits after six years of dating.
Meanwhile, Kelce was previously in an on-again, off-again relationship with ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole for five years. The former couple reportedly ended their long-term relationship in 2022. In January, the Ohio native announced that he was single on The Pivot Podcast.
“I’m in the free market right now,” he said. “I’m out there just enjoying life, focused on my profession.”
The Independent has contacted representatives for Swift and Kelce for comment.
