The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears in an American football game on Sunday but all eyes were on the stands, where Taylor Swift was watching.
The singer is rumoured to be dating Chiefs player Travis Kelce and was photographed cheering at the Arrowhead Stadium alongside his mother Donna Kelce.
After the game, Swift and Travis Kelce were pictured leaving together - presumably without Donna in tow - as they headed out for a post-match meal, or whatever it is singers and American footballers do in their spare time.
Swift is currently between legs of The Eras Tour and is busy dropping hints about what bonus tracks might feature on the upcoming release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) - the 2014 album she has rerecorded due to a long-running rights row.
While she needs no introduction, UK fans might have less idea about who Kelche is, with American football still something of a niche sport this side of the Atlantic.
Who is Travis Kelce?
The 33-year-old has played for the Kansas City Chiefs his whole career and has twice been Super Bowl champion, becoming famous for playing in his “tight end” position.
He is the younger brother of fellow American footballer Jason Kelce. There has been some confusion, even in the Kelce family about the pronunciation of the surname but Swift fans can be safe in going with “Kel-see”. Travis has said he’s adopted this as it is what his father says, although other family members go with “Kelss”.
Beyond football, Kelce has made a name for himself as something of a funnyman and personality in hosting Saturday Night Live and appearing as a fictionalised version of himself on comedy series Moonbase 8.
Like Swift, his personal life has been the stuff of tabloid intrigue - although he has somewhat brought this on himself by appearing as the prize bachelor on dating show Catching Kelce. The show was won by Maya Benberry and the pair dated from April 2016 to January 2017 - after which Kelce dated social media influencer Kayla Nicole until 2022.
Are Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift dating?
Jason Kelce has said the rumours “are 100 per cent true” and said they have “hung out twice” prior to the game.
Travis has added further weight to dating rumours. In an interview, Travis Kelce said: "I threw the ball in her court and told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit.’”
He said on his New Heights podcast back in July that he had attempted to make contact with her before, even making her a friendship bracelet with his number on it. While this effort failed it seems his persistence has paid off as Swift was spotted in the Arrowhead. She had played there as part of the Eras Tour on July 7.
Chiefs fans had been hoping for a Swift appearance at the game and even held up banners with her name on.
Team quarterback Patrick Mahomes said: “Some things with Trav, he says it and you don’t know if it’s true or not, he says it so calmly. He told me at the last minute.”
Swift has not commented and does not discuss her lovelife in public. It is thought she broke up with her partner Joe Alwyn after six years in April.
Just about everyone in the Kansas City locker room was left joking about their tight end and their newest famous fan Sunday, including coach Andy Reid, who joked that “I set them up.”
“I’m not a big Swifty,” Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith said. “But maybe she’s a good luck charm. Why not?”
