For Pete's Sake

Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift is ‘something to celebrate,’ says Chiefs’ Drue Tranquill

Pop star Taylor Swift holds hands with boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as they leave Arrowhead Stadium after an NFL football game on Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, in Kansas City.
Pop star Taylor Swift holds hands with boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as they leave Arrowhead Stadium after an NFL football game on Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, in Kansas City. nwagner@kcstar.com

Linebacker Drue Tranquill spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, so he admits it was strange to sign with the AFC West rival, Chiefs.

During an interview on the “Zach Gelb Show,” Tranquill admitted it took time to adjust.

“It was weird walking in the first day. It’s like what am I doing here? I’ve been going against these guys two times a year for the past four years,” said Tranquill, who signed last summer as a free agent. “But slowly it’s just become a brotherhood. I mean those guys are really good friends of mine.

“The competitive greatness in this building, the competitive stamina to go through OTAs, through training camp, through a long preseason, season and postseason year in and year out, I mean, these guys really do strive to be the best and the best in the National Football League, the best in the world.“

One thing Tranquill couldn’t have imagined, as Gelb noted, was that international singing star Taylor Swift would start showing up for games.

Tranquill was asked how that’s been for the Chiefs since Swift began dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

For the players, it’s not been an issue and Tranquill said the romance should be celebrated.

“It’s interesting,” Tranquill said. “You don’t really feel it and hear too much of it inside the locker room. But it’ll be moments like at practice when ... our DJ turns on a Taylor Swift song and everybody kind of jokes about it. I think the wives and the girlfriends, I hear about it more when I go home than I do actually in the building

“But it’s been fun, man. That’s something to celebrate, something fun and we enjoy poking fun at Travis. But seems like maybe they’re in love, man. They’ve got really, really something going and we enjoy having her at our games. It brings a lot of energy and a lot of fun to our fans. And so that’s good for business, good for football and good for the NFL.”

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) takes the field prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 24, 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) takes the field prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 24, 2023. Jay Biggerstaff USA TODAY Sports

Gelb then asked if Tranquill expects to go to the wedding should Kelce and Swift decide to tie the knot.

“We’ll see man, we’ll see,” Tranquill said. “I think there’s gonna be a lot of people that want to go to that.”

This story was originally published January 25, 2024 at 11:02 AM.

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Pete Grathoff
The Kansas City Star
From covering the World Series to the World Cup, Pete Grathoff has done a little bit of everything since joining The Kansas City Star in 1997.
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