Chiefs’ ‘Girl Dads’ love that Taylor Swift is helping fathers and daughters bond
.jpg "Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks off the field with his wife Brittany and daughter Sterling after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow/The Republic via USA TODAY Sports")
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce heard plenty of questions Monday about his girlfriend during the Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night media session.
That was to be expected since he’s dating international singing star Taylor Swift. Their romance has become one of the biggest stories in the NFL this season.
Kelce, who has three young nieces, was asked about Swift’s fans Monday, and he spoke about how many have become Chiefs fans.
“I think Taylor’s fan base is absolutely unbelievable,” Kelce said. “The support she gives her (fans), the support that they give (to things) she supports and what she loves in this world ... it’s been awesome to see the NFL expand in that regard and hear just how many young girls are getting into the game of football and are enjoying those moments with their fathers and their loved ones. It’s been awesome to hear.”
There initially was some unhappiness from a few football fans about the amount of airtime being given to one of the world’s most recognizable people. Swift dubbed them “Brads, Chads and dads” to the delight of her fans.
Some television sports hosts have since pushed back at the critics, and data shows Swift is seen for less than 1% of a broadcast.
One demographic of football fans has spoken up about how Swift has made a difference in their life. It’s fathers, who have bonded with their daughters. Many have taken to social media to express their gratitude for being able to spend time watching games with their daughters.
The feeling carries over to members of the Chiefs with daughters.
Patrick Mahomes’ daughter, Sterling, will turn 3 years old later this month, and she’s already a football fan. But Mahomes loves how the NFL has gained new fans via Swift.
“I think it’s extremely cool,” Mahomes said. “I mean for her to just be at the games and obviously she’s just here to support Travis in the best way possible. But I think it has done a great job of bringing more people to football and how great this sport is.
“Knowing that I’m a father to a daughter as well, I love that she watches the games and they love football as well. So I know a lot of fans out there get to have those moments with their kids as well.”
Of linebacker Drue Tranquill’s three kids, two are girls (Mackenzie and Anna). Both are under 5 years of age, so they haven’t been exposed to Taylor Swift yet.
But Tranquill is glad Swift is introducing football to girls who might not otherwise be watching the game.
“I think it’s great whenever you can expose a larger demographic to our sport,” Tranquill said. “It’s the best sport on Earth and it’s awesome to have young girls, teenage girls engaging with the sports of football, for sure.”
Chiefs CEO/chairman Clark Hunt is the father of daughters Gracie, 25, and Ava, 17. They’re both regulars at Chiefs games and have grown up around the game.
Swift has been a Chiefs fan for just months, and Hunt said the impact on the team has been impossible to ignore.
“I don’t ever do an interview without somebody asking me about it, and I think a lot of the players and coaches on the team are probably in the same boat,” Hunt said. “And the most important thing is, we’re happy for the two of them that they found each other and have such a special relationship. But there’s no doubt that her being a fan has put a more intense focus on the team than we would have had otherwise, and has opened up the fan base to a whole new demographic that we really didn’t have, and that sort of young female demographic.
“And you’ve seen that in a lot of ways, you know, specifically our TV ratings are higher, much higher, I believe, because of Taylor Swift being part of the team, as Kelce said.”
Hunt then relayed ways his life has changed since Kelce and Swift began dating. It’s been a good thing.
“I frequently have dads come up to me and say, ‘My 10 to 12 year old daughters never used to watch football, but they now tell me anytime the Kansas City Chiefs are playing to tell them so that they can come watch,’” Hunt said. “And then I was at a function a little over a week ago, and I had a woman, probably in her mid-20s, who came up to me, introduced herself as a Swiftie, told me that that her entire family, our Dallas Cowboy fans, and she used to not follow football at all, but she’s now all in (as a) Kansas City Chiefs fan. So I think there are a lot of examples like that out there. But those two things are happening to me quite a bit.”
Includes reporting by The Star’s Jesse Newell
This story was originally published February 9, 2024 at 10:07 AM.
