NFL player Travis Kelce has broken his silence on rumored love interest Taylor Swift, whose appearance at the Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday gained widespread attention. Kelce addressed the pop star's appearance on Wednesday's episode of "New Heights," his podcast with his brother Jason Kelce, who plays for the Eagles.
Swift appeared with Kelce's mom, Donna, in a box at the game against the Chicago Bears, adding fuel to the theories that she is dating Kelce. Swifties and Chiefs fans were excited over the appearance in Kansas City, which even impacted jersey sales.
Sales of Kelce's No. 87 jersey soared roughly 400% after Swift attended the game and a TikTok trend was spurred from that moment: Swift fans jokingly ask their significant others and friends how they feel about the pop star putting Kelce on the map.
Kelce, a two-time Super Bowl champion, was arguably already "on the map" – so the TikTok trend illicits passionate responses from football fans.
But his brother couldn't help but rib him about the trend. "Well Trav, how does it feel that Taylor Swift finally put you on the map?" he asked.
So Travis has some New News ...
— New Heights (@newheightshow) September 27, 2023
NEW EPISODE PREMIERES NOW 👀
Tap in: https://t.co/uh6Z2ZSnQt pic.twitter.com/ZmGTRfmwKP
Kelce said he's on a "rollercoaster of life," since the appearance and has even noticed paparazzi outside his house.
He said Swift coming to the game was "ballsy" of her. "I just thought it was awesome how everyone in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her. You know, the friends and family. She looked amazing, everybody was talking about her in a great light."
Swift was seen cheering and even chest bumping with Kelce's mom and friends at the game. "Chiefs Kingdom was all excited she was there," Kelce said, adding that it was a game – which the Chiefs won – that he will remember.
Kelce even made a touchdown in the third quarter. After the game, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked by Fox Sports if he felt pressure from the Swifties to get Kelce a touchdown in front of Swift. "I felt a little bit of pressure and so I knew I had to get it to Trav," he said. "I think he wanted to get into the end zone as much as the Swifties wanted him to."
Not only did Swift cheer for Kelce during the game, but the two were spotted leaving the stadium hand in hand, and then driving off in a convertible together.
"And then we just slid off in the getaway car at the end. Took my Chevelle to the game," Kelce said on the podcast. "Shoutout to Taylor for coming through and seeing me rock the stage."
Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.