Rumors About Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce's Relationship

We know Taylor Swift has done far greater things than dating the boy on the football team, but by romancing Travis Kelce and giving Swifties an excuse to infiltrate the NFL, she's undeniably injected some exciting new life into the incessant chatter about her love life. Sure, there's been the inevitable grousing about overexposure, but the unlikely pairing of the pop star who loves a good turn of phrase and the top fantasy football tight end has reminded us of the things that unite us: screaming in a stadium and indulging in juicy gossip about the rich, famous, and physically gifted.

We knew Traylor was going to be fun to follow from the start. An early conspiracy theory about the couple has cast Swift as a mastermind who cared far more about the Philadelphia Eagles than we realized. In a viral TikTok video, one fan suggested that Swift was scheming like a criminal to date Travis, with her end game being to ghost him right before the Super Bowl. In this scenario, we get a repeat of the "Kelce Bowl," which saw Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Eagles, the team Travis' older brother, Jason Kelce, happens to play on. But this time, Travis would play poorly and cause his team to lose. (Now that really is better than revenge.)

Rumors and conspiracy theories about Traylor from the outlandish to the mundane "Everything is going great!" variety keep cropping up, and we're kind of hoping that they never go out of style.

On a July 2023 episode of the "New Heights" podcast, Travis Kelce famously recounted deciding to take the moment and taste it by making that friendship bracelet ahead of a Taylor Swift concert at Arrowhead Stadium. But alas, he didn't get to deliver his handmade jewelry to the singer. Apparently, the next chapter of the Traylor love story was not Swift learning about the gift and reaching out to Kelce; that September, a source told Us Weekly that they were introduced by a mutual pal. "They have been on a few dates and Taylor is smitten with him," the insider said. "It is not serious, and Taylor is having fun right now." This was before Swift started showing up in the bleachers (aka a glass-encased skybox) to risk over-taxing her vocal cords just for Kelce that September.

One user on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, discovered a connection between Kelce and Swift that might reveal the identity of the person who introduced them. The Swiftie pointed out that one of Swift's "Eras Tour" dancers, Kameron Saunders, is brothers with one of Kelce's former Kansas City Chiefs teammates, Khalen Saunders. It's an intriguing theory, but it hasn't been confirmed, as of this writing. 

Then we have Kelce's coach, Andy Reid. After telling the media that he had actually met Swift before, Reid tried to take credit for playing matchmaker for Traylor. He was just joking, but tsk, tsk, coach — that's how rumors get started, alright nah?

Before she and Travis Kelce got together, Taylor Swift became the female artist with the most No. 1 albums. Kelce also proved that he was at the top of his game by winning two Super Bowls, hosting "Saturday Night Live," and appearing in myriad commercials. Still, some skeptics were convinced that Traylor was desperate for even more good publicity. USA Today writer Mike Freeman penned a tongue-in-cheek opinion piece in early October 2023, suggesting that the couple's relationship was a "marketing ploy" but assured readers that it was okay to get totally enchanted by the deception. Other outlets went even further with this angle; NPR's "It's Been a Minute" consulted PR expert Molly McPherson, who deemed Traylor "a successful public relations relationship" after the NFL seemingly built a marketing strategy around them.

Fueling the rumors and speculation was the timing of the "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" movie premiere. Keeping up with all things Traylor hadn't lost its novelty when it hit theaters in mid-October, and commercials for the film aired during Sunday Night Football. As for Kelce, he previously told Vanity Fair that he wanted to get his "face out from under the helmet," which he officially accomplished by stepping out with Swift.

After Swift attended her first Chiefs game that September, a source told People she and Kelce were "just hanging out" and having a good time. Cynics on X suggested that Swift's cheering didn't look genuine during that outing, but people throw rocks at things that shine, right?

Some cynics have found the NFL's Swiftie status a bit absurd. The numerous shots of Taylor Swift reacting to Travis Kelce's plays and the many mentions of Swift on the league's social media accounts have even inspired some conspiracy theories about Big Football being tied to Traylor via an invisible string. "The deal Swift struck with the NFL to carry on this arrangement is huge," tweeted one Traylor skeptic. Another person theorized that the NFL manufactured this football fairytale because it convinced Swift to co-headline the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show with Usher. There was so much chatter about the topic that an NFL spokesman assured the AP that Swift and Kelce's relationship was "not orchestrated by the NFL."

Not long after the NFL's Swift era started, football fans became convinced that the refs were making questionable calls benefitting the Chiefs, with the aim being to help the team win any games with Swift in attendance. Mike Florio discussed this on "Pro Football Talk" after Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed was not penalized for pass interference or flagged for removing his helmet (he was later fined for the latter) in mid-October 2023. "That all bolsters this idea that ... the league is helping the Chiefs win because the league wants this whole Taylor Swift phenomenon to carry the league to new heights," Florio argued. In a since-deleted tweet, New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner also joked that he wouldn't have been called for defensive holding if he were a Swiftie.

When Killa Trav left Arrowhead Stadium with Taylor Swift for the first time, he was dressed to kill in KidSuper's 1989 Bedroom Painting Set. Outlets including Cosmopolitan theorized that Travis Kelce did some online shopping to find a 'fit that would be a nod to the album Swift was about to drop, "1989 (Taylor's Version)." But on X, KidSuper confessed that the "1989" was added to the name of the denim jacket and pants combo after Kelce was photographed wearing them. So, unless the splashes of blue reminded him of Swift singing about getting painted blue by a "twin flame bruise" in "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)," he probably didn't have Swift in mind when he purchased the ensemble. The name change was a brilliant marketing strategy on the brand's part, but a big disappointment for Swifties who love finding Easter eggs about their idol's love life.

Speaking of Swifties, they noticed that a pair of brown crushed velvet pants Kelce was pictured wearing on Instagram in early October 2023 bore a striking resemblance to the curtains in Swift's "Midnights Mayhem with Me" TikTok series. "You look so good in Taylor's curtains babe," read one response to his Instagram post. When Us Weekly asked Kelce's stylist, Danielle Salzedo, about the pants possibly being a nod to Swift's soft and shiny decor, she couldn't say whether or not this theory was correct. "However, when people authentically connect, they start to have those serendipitous coincidences," she said.

During an October 2023 episode of "Today with Hoda & Jenna" (via ET), host Jenna Bush Hager repeated a rumor she heard from a friend that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were possibly house hunting together in Kansas City. Bush Hager made sure to let the viewers at home know that this was not official reporting from NBC, and when her co-host, Hoda Kotb, questioned her about her source, Bush Hager said that she got her intel from someone who "knows realtors." However, ET later reported that the former first daughter's pal was wrong about the couple looking for a love nest.

What did happen is that Kelce purchased a home on his own: a $6 million, six-bedroom estate. According to TMZ Sports, the tight end reportedly spent all that dough partially because he felt that he needed more privacy, particularly as Swift's new beau. He would now reside inside a gated community, which means that it became more difficult for the paparazzi to stalk Traylor when Swift visited. 

Another rumored reason that Kelce decided to upgrade his living quarters is that having a girlfriend as loaded as Swift was starting to make him feel "self-conscious" about hosting her at his humble former residence, per the New York Post. While his old mansion did boast seven bedrooms, it was 7,000 square feet smaller than this new one. And now, when Kelce takes Swift out and takes her home, they can unwind by playing a game on his pickleball court.

While Taylor Swift has attended multiple Kansas City Chiefs games, there was a wild theory about why she made sure she didn't miss one in particular: the team's October 1, 2023 matchup against the New York Jets. On X, a business consultant named Brittany Muller suggested that Swift's goal was to manipulate Google search results so that what comes up first when someone types "Taylor Swift's jets" isn't negative articles about her private jet usage, but page after page of pieces about her attendance at the game. "If it's just a wild coincidence, it's a wild coincidence, but it could also be one of the most calculated PR stunts of all time," Muller told Wired.

In July 2022, a rep for Swift did have to defend the substantial size of her private jets' carbon footprint. There were a lot of negative comments about the matter being posted on social media at the time because the digital marketing agency Yard had named Swift as the celebrity who was producing the most CO2 emissions. While addressing the reported 170 flights that the singer's pair of private planes made over a span of 200 days, the rep told BuzzFeed News, "Taylor's jet is loaned out regularly to other individuals. To attribute most or all of these trips to her is blatantly incorrect." So, at least she's generous with her pollution producers.

When Taylor Swift embarked on her "1989 World Tour" in 2015, she got a lot of attention for hanging out with her girl squad. She occasionally invited members to join her on stage, and she cast them in her "Bad Blood" music video. The squad, which the New York Post described as "a cult," included supermodels such as Cara Delevingne, Martha Hunt, and Karlie Kloss, as well as entertainers including Selena Gomez, Blake Lively, and Lena Dunham. 2015 was also the year Swift dated Calvin Harris and was spotted on a double date with him, her ex Joe Jonas, and the Jo Bro's girlfriend at the time, Gigi Hadid.

Fast forward to 2023, and Swift was, of course, touring again. She also debuted a new girl squad at a Kansas City Chiefs game that October. Lively was still there, along with newbs Sabrina Carpenter and Sophie Turner — the latter of whom had recently separated from Jonas. 

Swift's apparent embrace of being in the spotlight after her breakup with longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn earlier that year left some fans wondering whether she was trying to intentionally recreate her OG "1989" era ahead of releasing "Reputation (Taylor's Version)." One fan on the Taylor Swift subreddit wrote, "It's very clearly on purpose, then after the inevitable backlash from the overexposure, she'll release 'Reputation TV.' Makes perfect sense to try and recreate those circumstances I feel like, who knows if it'll work though." A Swiftie who agreed with this theory added, "Everything she does is intentional."

In September 2023, a TikTok user named Molly claimed that Taylor Swift had gone to great lengths to enjoy a little privacy while dining with Travis Kelce in an unnamed Kansas City restaurant. Molly explained that she gained this information from a friend who was purportedly at the restaurant when Kelce and Swift showed up. "[Swift] just paid for everybody at the restaurant so that they would leave," she said. However, Molly later deleted that video and uploaded a new one to clarify what had allegedly happened. According to Molly's sources, the couple didn't just show up out of the blue but had called ahead to reserve the entire rooftop of the establishment. "The people who were still there when their reservation was coming up had their meals paid for by Taylor," she added. Another source identified the restaurant as Prime Social Rooftop and claimed to ET that it was Kelce who paid for the reservation.

Apparently, some diners were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the couple on that occasion, but this wasn't the case when Swifties numbering in the hundreds flocked to the Elm, a restaurant located in New Canaan, Connecticut, that October. According to the Daily Voice, fans believed that Traylor was dining there with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. "I think a 'Mom' started the rumor and then it just went crazy," the restaurant's manager said. The crowd that gathered there was so large that it apparently had to be dispersed by police and firefighters.

When Taylor Swift sings, "I know places we won't be found," she's not talking about a storage container for popcorn. However, some Swifties were convinced that she crawled inside one to make a greasy getaway from Arrowhead Stadium in September 2023. The only kernel of evidence to support this rumor was a TikTok video of an employee from Topsy's Popcorn, a Kansas City-based business, wheeling a Swift-sized storage container with wheels out of the stadium. A clear trash bag full of popcorn was sitting on top of it.

On "The Pat McAfee Show," a self-described Swiftie, former Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, shared his thoughts about the theory. He was in the camp that believed Swift really would crawl inside a popcorn container to avoid a crowd. "She apparently leaves her concert in a cleaning cart with brooms coming out of the top. It's very, very similar to the popcorn machine with the popcorn on the top," he explained. There really is a viral TikTok video of Swift being wheeled onto the stage inside a fake janitor cart during an "Eras Tour" concert in Arlington, Texas. But it had brooms and mops sticking out of the top of it. (And Watts calls himself a Swiftie!)

While we can see why Swifties find this getaway cart theory so appetizing, a source told TMZ that Swift simply walked out of the stadium with Kelce.

When Sunday Night Football became all about Taylor Swift, some X users were convinced that Patrick Mahomes' wife, Brittany Mahomes, was not going to be happy about a new WAG becoming the center of attention. One person predicted that Brittany would go all Regina George on Swift — but instead, Brittany's haters had to watch in horror as the two women happily hugged, gabbed, and danced together. They even showed off a tricky celebratory handshake during an October 2023 Kansas City Chiefs game.

According to some sources, the unexpected camaraderie between the quarterback's wife and the 12-time Grammy winner is not something that only exists when they know that cameras are around. Swift's boyfriend and Brittany's hubby are close pals, so it was a smart move on the singer's part to befriend Kansas City's top WAG. TMZ reported that they became texting buddies after their first experience sharing a skybox, and during an afterparty, they were purportedly spotted doing shots with each other. (Maybe they did a toast to real friends.) 

An insider who spoke to Us Weekly also dispelled the speculation that Brittany was jealous of Swift. "Brittany is thrilled to be building a genuine friendship with Taylor," the source said. "They've hung out a couple of times and have grown fairly close in a short period of time. Brittany thinks Taylor is so sweet, and down to earth, and they get along really great." It's nice to have a friend.

Before Travis Kelce finally got the chance to give Taylor Swift that friendship bracelet, he dated sports journalist Kayla Nicole on and off for five years. Nicole and Brittany Mahomes became close friends during that time, with Nicole even serving as a bridesmaid at Brittany and Patrick Mahomes' wedding. So, when Nicole and Kelce broke up, this put Brittany in an awkward position — especially after Swift entered the picture and welcomed her into her girl squad.

After Swift and Brittany were seen hanging out outside of Arrowhead Stadium, Nicole unfollowed both Brittany and Patrick on Instagram in early October 2023. This led to speculation that Nicole and Brittany had a falling out. "The fact that [Brittany is] tweeting about being besties with Taylor Swift even after she claimed to be besties with Kayla all these years must have been really hurtful to see," one commenter wrote on the Brittany Matthews Snark subreddit. 

Before the rumors about bad blood could get too out of control, Nicole assured People that there was none there. She also revealed that she spoke to Brittany privately about why she decided to unfollow her. "She knows that I love her," Nicole said. "That's a lot of history and friendship there, that doesn't change overnight." As for why she no longer wanted to see her pal's posts on her Instagram feed, she explained, "Because things are happening so quickly and so publicly, I have to protect myself. That's really all that is."

We've seen evidence that Taylor Swift gets along with Travis Kelce's mom on our TV screens. During her first Kansas City Chiefs game, Swift was filmed sharing a hearty laugh with Donna Kelce while touching her arm as if they were old friends. And is that a friendship bracelet we spy on Donna's wrist in this October 2023 Instagram pic? Her close proximity to Traylor soon made Donna a popular subject of rumors, as fans obviously wanted to know if she approved of the new woman in her son's life. 

"Donna likes Taylor and thinks she's very sweet and down to earth," one source told People. However, another insider claimed that Donna had some qualms about the way the couple's courtship was progressing. "Donna isn't against Taylor dating Travis," the source said, as reported by Marca. "She just wants her to pump the brakes a bit. Donna thinks that their relationship should develop naturally, out of the spotlight." 

As for what Donna herself has said about Swift, she shared that she isn't comfortable talking about her sons' personal lives during an October 6, 2023 interview with "Today." However, co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie did get her to reveal that she wasn't certain how serious her son and Swift were at that time. She also didn't seem as enthusiastic about spending time with Swift as she did on TV. Of what hanging out with the pop star was like, she said, "It was okay." Though that may have been more due to the continued line of questioning surrounding Traylor.

We'll never forget how Taylor Swift let us know exactly how she felt about Jelena. At the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, she was filmed sticking her tongue out after she witnessed Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber share a hug and a kiss. We're guessing Gomez and Swift have shared a ton of gossip about the guys in their lives over the years, beginning way back when they bonded over dating Jonas Brothers in 2008. And according to one rumor, it sounds like Gomez might have had a chat with Swift about her relationship with Travis Kelce. 

"Selena thinks Taylor going to games and galavanting through New York immediately after just meeting Travis is something that is very unlike her," a source told Page Six in late October 2023. The insider claimed that Gomez was concerned about how rapidly Swift's new relationship had been developing. She also purportedly refused to attend Chiefs games with Swift because she wasn't interested in participating in the public spectacle that Traylor had become. (At least she isn't showing up and sticking her tongue out.) 

However, a few days after Page Six dished out its Gomez gossip, the "Come & Get It" singer was photographed hanging out in NYC with Swift and some other members of her girl gang: Brittany Mahomes, Gigi Hadid, and Sophie Turner. Swift was linking arms with Gomez, proving that she wasn't going to let any rumors come between her and her ride-or-die bestie.

When an NFL player who is six-foot-five and weighs 250 pounds goes out in public, there are always going to be jokes about security guards being superfluous. But some Swifties were convinced that Travis Kelce actually tried to temporarily fill in for one of Taylor Swift's security guards when the couple attended a "Saturday Night Live" afterparty in New York City in mid-October 2023. One viral video on TikTok claimed that it showed Travis pushing a member of Swift's security detail out of the way so he could be the one to open her car door. But all Travis really did was squeeze behind the security guard as he moved away from the vehicle. ET also published a report that was seemingly about that interaction, quoting a source as saying, "At one point, he actually told her security guard that he could step aside, like he'd take it from here."

Travis explained what actually happened on "New Heights" a few days later. But first, Jason Kelce had a good giggle over a TikTok video imagining what would be said in a conversation between Swift's security team and Travis. (In summation, he'd be warned against taking matters into his own hands.) "I didn't push him," Travis said. "I placed my hand on the gentleman's back to let him know I was behind him. If I would have pushed him, he probably would have turned around and tased me." That's one way to give Swift that electric touch she's been longing for.

They've all been telling Travis Kelce he's the lucky one because he has Taylor Swift in his corner. In early October 2023, the NFL changed its Instagram bio to read, "Chiefs are 2-0 as Swifties." Terry Bradshaw also believed that Swift's presence at games was benefiting Kelce and his team. "Had I been married to Tammy when I played for my rookie year on, I'd have thrown for 96,000 yards, 800 touchdown passes, and 10 interceptions," he said on "The Herd" later that month. According to a report by The Messenger, Kelce was starting to trust in the power of love as well. "He jokes [Swift] is his good luck charm," a source said.

After the Chiefs won the first four games that Swift attended, Fox Sports did some number crunching that added credence to the theory that Kelce played better with his girlfriend in the crowd. For those four games, he averaged 108 receiving yards and 8.5 catches. But when Swift was absent, he only averaged 50.3 receiving yards and 6.7 catches per game. 

Coach Andy Reid had also noticed the numbers, telling the media, "Taylor can stay around all she wants." This put a smile on Kelce's face when he and his older bro discussed his "Swift stats" on "New Heights." Said the tight end, "I love Coach Reid, man. What a guy. ... Listen, when you're getting Big Red's approval and blessings, you know you're doing something right." So we'll just call this Swift's Big Red era.