Kansas City Chiefs fan seeks Taylor Swift autograph for epic tattoo. What are the odds? | Opinion
David Leach of Oak Grove is on a mission.
Leach is the die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan with a tattoo of Patrick Mahomes on his lower back, known as his “champ stamp.” He said he’ll attend Sunday’s AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium with the goal of getting mega pop star Taylor Swift to sign his back.
If she does, Leach said he’ll add Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce’s likeness to his tattoo collection.
“Why not?” Leach said this week.
If you doubt the seriousness of Leach’s intent, you shouldn’t. After all, this is a guy who sat in the front row of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show in Los Angeles in 2019 and got Mahomes to sign his back on national television.
“I went right across the street on Hollywood Boulevard to get a permanent tattoo” of Mahomes’ signature, Leach said.
Since then, the Chiefs have won the Super Bowl three times — in 2020, 2023 and 2024. A possible three-peat is on the line when the Chiefs host Buffalo at GEHA Field. And Leach will be there trying to secure his biggest win yet: Swift’s autograph.
“Every story needs a good ending,” Leach said. “If Taylor gets this story, it will happen. Everyone said I couldn’t get Patrick’s signature and I crashed Jimmy Kimmel’s show. Why wouldn’t she?”
OK, there are no guarantees Swift will be in Kansas City this weekend. But it is highly unlikely she would miss an opportunity for the Chiefs to clinch another spot in the Super Bowl. Since Swift and Kelce began dating, she has been a mainstay at Chiefs games both home and away, so there’s that.
Still, Swift’s camp runs a tight ship. Security is top notch. Leach knows gaining access to the pop star is difficult. He said he has a friend in high enough places within the organization that getting close proximity to Swift is possible.
Because of security concerns, Leach said he was not able to disclose his friend’s identity. Although Leach was sworn to secrecy, he did have permission to speak to me about seeking Swift’s autograph.
“My buddy is top secret,” Leach said. “He knows where to put people.”
Before you dismiss Leach as an over-the-top fanantic, keep in mind he is real estate agent, actor and lead singer for a band called Dirty Machine. He is also the father to a newborn child.
“My daughter was born on Dec. 7, just in time for the three-peat,” he said.
Over the years, Leach’s lore has grown among football fans, especially here in Kansas City. Mahomes and Kelce have discussed the champ stamp on the New Heights podcast Travis hosts with brother Jason. When Leach showed Mahomes the tattoo on Jimmy Kimmel, Mahomes was a good sport about it.
“That is awesome,” the star quarterback said before he signed Leach’s back. “That is awesome.”
Because of his famous ink, Leach considers himself something of a good luck charm for the Chiefs.
“We didn’t win the Super Bowl with Mahomes until he signed my tattoo,” Leach said.
On Sunday, most of Kansas City will root for the Chiefs to beat Buffalo. Away from the field, all of us should wait in anticipation for Swift to sign Leach’s back.
“I’m going for it,” Leach said
If I were a betting man, I’d take the over-under that Swift will come through.
This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 5:08 AM.
