When Jason Kelce asked his brother and Swift, sitting side-by-side, how they handled the discourse around their relationship, Swift said they just didn’t.
“We don’t, really. I don’t see a lot of things,” she said. “My name can be in the actual headline, and it’s none of my business.”
Travis Kelce kisses Taylor Swift following the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers in 2024.Credit: Getty Images
The pair started dating during Swift’s landmark Eras tour – though Kelce was thwarted in his first attempt to meet Swift at her concert at Arrowhead Stadium. But by September, Swift was back at the Kansas City stadium, cheering on Kelce next to his mother. Less than two months later, she was changing lyrics onstage: “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” she sang in Argentina as Kelce beamed from the audience.
It’s the first engagement for both Kelce – who once had his own reality dating show, Catching Kelce – and Swift, whose past relationships with high-profile celebrities including Joe Alwyn, Jake Gyllenhaal and Harry Styles, have been inspiration for her music.
Congratulations pour in
The news broke in the middle of the Kansas City Chiefs’ media availability, though after head coach Andy Reid had departed. That left Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna to field questions about his teammate’s engagement.
“Man, it’s incredible. I was caught off guard but you know, great for them,” Danna said, a few minutes after the news raced across social media. “But you know, great for them. That’s a blessing. Any time you find that type of joy, blessing, love – that’s a beautiful thing.”
Like many of the Chiefs, Danna has hung out with Swift and Kelce at a New Year’s party and after most of their home games.
“I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said. “Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”
The NFL, which has gained untold numbers of fans since the relationship became public, posted the news on X with their congratulations – then quickly deleted it and reposted it when they realised they tagged the wrong Swift account.
Loading
“Two of the most genuine people meet & fall in love. Just so happy for these two,” Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, said on Instagram. Brittany Mahomes and Swift have frequently shared a suite for games at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile the Cleveland Guardians, the baseball team Kelce grew up rooting for, joked online: “Thanks a lot, Taylor Swift. Now no one cares that next year’s schedule is out.”
Kelce and Swift’s relationship featured prominently in the just-released six-part ESPN documentary The Kingdom, which chronicles the franchise’s ultimately foiled pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title last season. Kelce was joined by his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, on the red carpet last Sunday for the premiere at the Kauffman Centre for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri.
“She’s very good for him. I don’t hesitate in saying that,” Ed Kelce said of his future daughter-in-law. “They are two people that truly deserve each other.”
US President Donald Trump wished Swift and Travis Kelce “a lot of luck” on their newly announced engagement.
“He’s a great player. I think he’s a great guy, and I think that she’s a terrific person. So I wish them a lot of luck,” Trump said Tuesday when asked by a reporter about the White House.
News of their engagement broke as Trump staged a Cabinet meeting that stretched on for over two hours. Fox News broke away from live coverage of the gathering to report the betrothal.
Trump’s offered kind words for Swift despite his past criticism of the pop star over her support for Democratic politicians.
After Swift endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, Trump posted on social media that “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” Earlier this month, he wrote that he “can’t stand” Swift and that she had become “NO LONGER HOT,” comparing her to actress Sydney Sweeney.