One year later: KC played a significant role in Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance
People usually reflect on all that has taken place in the previous 12 months when the calendar flips to a new year.
But there’s a good reason to do it on July 8.
That’s because it was one year ago that superstar singer Taylor Swift was playing her Eras Tour at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
No one knew it at the time, but Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was about to set in motion a series of events that altered the landscape of pop culture and the NFL. Kelce and Swift began dating as a result of what happened a year ago, and their love story has enraptured fans and seeped into the consciousness of the nation.
Holiday decorations featuring the couple popped up, politicians talked about them, restaurants began serving food named for Swift and Kelce. Even if you weren’t a fan of the Chiefs or today’s music, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about the couple.
Here’s a look back at how it all began, the early stages of their romance and how Kansas City served as a backdrop.
The concert
Kelce and teammate/friend Patrick Mahomes were at Arrowhead Stadium for the second of the two Swift concerts at the Chiefs’ home.
While at his Tight End University a month earlier, Kelce made friendship bracelets, a tradition among Swift’s fans when they are at her shows. This time, Kelce made one that he thought about giving to Swift. It had his phone number on it.
Mahomes said he encouraged Kelce to shoot his shot.
“I like to take some of the credit. I was the one who invited Travis to the first Taylor concert,” Mahomes said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “He was sitting in my suite, so I feel like I was the matchmaker. I had some input in there as well. ‘Just go for it. Just go for it.’ And you know Travis, man. He does it, he’s a great dude, and I’m glad it’s all worked out for the best.”
Initially, it didn’t work out for the best as Kelce was unable to get the bracelet to her.
Kelce wasn’t happy about the setback and he talked about it on his New Heights podcast on July 26.
“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” Kelce said at the time. “So I was a little butt-hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her. If you are up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it.”
Kelce added: “She doesn’t meet anybody, or at least she didn’t want to meet me, so I took it personal.”
Guess who heard what Kelce said? Yep, it was Swift.
Someone intervened on Kelce’s behalf as he told WSJ. Magazine last year.
“There were definitely people she knew that knew who I was, in her corner (who said), ‘Yo! Did you know he was coming?’ I had somebody playing Cupid,” Kelce told Edward Bowleg III. “She (later) told me exactly what was going on and how I got lucky enough to get her to reach out.”
Swift’s second cousin Danny Frye III took credit for taking on the Cupid role, as US Weekly reported. Fox Sports broadcasters Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson also have been credited with helping Kelce.
But what really caught Swift’s attention was that very public play for her heart.
“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” Swift told Time Magazine. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other.”
Their first meeting
We don’t know when Swift and Kelce had their first date, but we know it was in New York, likely in late July or early August. That would’ve been during a break in the Chiefs training-camp schedule.
Where in the Big Apple remains a mystery but the two made a love connection.
“When I met her in New York, we had already kind of been talking, so I knew we could have a nice dinner and, like, a conversation, and what goes from there will go from there,” Kelce told WSJ. He added: “Everybody around me telling me: Don’t (mess) this up! And me sitting here saying: Yeah — got it.”
Kelce didn’t mess it up.
Rumors started circulating in September that the two were hanging out together. Less than two weeks later, they went public with the relationship in the place where it all began: Arrowhead Stadium.
Swift showed up for the Chiefs’ game against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24, setting social media afire when they drove off in his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS.
On Saturday, fans saw an emotional Kelce watching Swift at another Eras Tour show: this one in Amsterdam. They’ve come a long way since that day at Arrowhead.
This story was originally published July 8, 2024 at 9:30 AM.
