Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have captivated the attention of music fans, pop culture and NFL fans since the duo started dating several months ago. Kelce, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, recently attended one of Swift’s shows in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Swift has made appearances at several Chiefs games so far this season.
MORE: Olive Garden chimes in on an old Travis Kelce tweet with a fun Taylor Swift lyric change
In an interview with J.R. Moehringer of the Wall Street Journal, Kelce opened up about his new relationship, his charity work in Kansas City, his personal outlook and more. Here are some of our favorite revelations about Taylor Swift and their budding romance.
Insider help
Could Kelce have gotten some assistance from some folks inside the Swift camp? He shared a tidbit that he may have gotten a head start with Taylor thanks to her Arrowhead Stadium shows for The Eras Tour.
He lets slip that some of his early helpers were part of the Swift family tree. “She’ll probably hate me for saying this, but…when she came to Arrowhead, they gave her the big locker room as a dressing room, and her little cousins were taking pictures…in front of my locker.”
"Don’t [expletive] this up!"
Not a lot of details were shared about the first few dates, but we did get some insight as to whether or not Kelce was nervous (he wasn’t) and what advice his family gave.
If anyone was nervous, he adds, it was his core group. “Everybody around me telling me: Don’t f— this up! And me sitting here saying: Yeah—got it.”
Donna Kelce is a fan
Moehringer mentioned that the Kelce matriarch was upset with herself following an October appearance on the TODAY Show. While trying to be respectful of the new couple’s privacy, Kelce thought she came off “underwhelmed” by the pop star.
Donna Kelce shares on TODAY how it was meeting Taylor Swift for the first time at the box of the @Chiefs game. pic.twitter.com/ITosUNY6KS
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 6, 2023
As the time has passed, Mama Kelce has gotten more comfortable talking about her youngest son’s relationship when asked.
These days, however, with the relationship progressing, Donna feels more at liberty. “I can tell you this,” she says, beaming. “He’s happier than I’ve seen him in a long time…. God bless him, he shot for the stars!”
TEENAGE DIRTBAG DUET?!
A friend of Kelce’s detailed a night around a fire pit with Swift in attendance and the new couple pairing up to sing Wheatus’ hit song “Teenage Dirtbag” from 2000.
Kelce squints into the distance: He’s not sure they were singing…Wheatus. But he allows that his memory might be compromised.
“There was some wine involved, for sure.”
A longtime Swiftie
Kelce isn’t new to the world of being a Swiftie. He’s long loved her songs — “Blank Space” is called out in the piece — but he’s also a fan of her artistry.
More often than not, he says, it was a Swiftian beat, a melody that captivated him. (“She writes catchy jingles.”) But lately he’s all about those lyrics; he’s scrutinized the breakup stuff. What a miracle, he says, the way Swift can turn life into poetry. “I’ve never been a man of words. Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f—ing mind-blowing. I’m learning every day.”
Taylor, meet Tommy Boy
Kelce is effusive in his praise of Swift and what she’s taught him in just a short time together. But he also seems excited to share the more goofy, comedic side of himself with the megastar.
Indeed, Kelce has warned Swift that she’s going to have to reckon with this part of his personality. Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell—they will all be a part of the relationship. “I told Taylor that I have that world, I’ve got to introduce it to her. I let her know: This is my jam right here.” (Kelce does an uncanny imitation of Farley’s dorky baritone, and the ringtone on his phone is Farley primal screaming: For the love of GOD!)
