In case you’ve—oh, I don’t know—been living in the woods alone with no access to the outside world for the last year: superstar Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Travis Kelce are dating, and it’s kind of a huge deal.
How it all began
Their love story started back in July of last year when Travis revealed to his brother, Jason Kelce—a center lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, more on him later—while chatting on their podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, that he’d hoped to meet Taylor and give her his number (on a friendship bracelet) while attending The Eras Tour.
After this, rumors began to fly regarding the relationship status of the football player and the pop sensation, who’d recently broken off a very private six-year-long relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. At one point, Jason appeared to confirm his brother’s relationship, joking, “I don’t really know a lot about what’s happening in Travis’s love life and I try to keep his business his business, [but] I think he’s doing great and I think it’s all 100% true.”
Then, Taylor and Travis were then confirmed to be an official couple in September 2023 when she attended a Chiefs game, and the rest is history.
How does Jason Kelce’s retirement factor into all of this?
Early this week more rumors flew, but this time not about romance—about retirement. The star center allegedly told his teammates he’d planned to retire in the locker room after the Eagles’ recent loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which ended their road to the Superbowl.
Jason has since pushed back on these rumors, stating, “I just don’t think you’re in a position after a game like that to really make that decision. I just don’t. There’s too much emotion in the moment, there’s too much going down in the moment, to really fully grasp that decision. I’m not trying to be dramatic and continue to draw this thing out, I’m really not. It’s just something that I think, when it’s time to officially announce what’s happening in the future, it’ll be done at in a way that’s definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me and what has led to the career I’ve had.”
Swifties show Jason Kelce their support
Still, these comments didn’t stop fans from taking to Twitter and TikTok to express their sadness at the prospect of Jason’s retirement—just, maybe, not the fans you’d expect.
That’s right! Many of these reactions have come straight from Swifties, to the genuinely delighted surprise of football fans, who are showing support for Jason through videos and posts.
Here are just a few of the best:
