Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s whirlwind romance has taken the world — and the NFL — by storm, but Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts remains unbothered. “It’s not really my cup of tea,” Hurts, 25, quipped to reporters on Tuesday, October 24, while attending the Time 100 Next Honors gala. “I’m more focused on winning football games.”
Swift, 33, and Kelce, 34, have been going strong since she attended the Kansas City Chiefs home game against the Chicago Bears last month. The Grammy winner has since been a fixture at Kelce’s football games, often sitting in the stands with his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, or Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ wife, Brittany Mahomes. Swift — who was spotted holding hands with Travis on back-to-back date nights in New York City earlier this month before attending his Sunday, October 22, game in Kansas City — has stolen the spotlight during NFL broadcasts
“I think it’s fun when they show who all’s at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching,” Travis said while discussing the NFL’s fixation on his romance during the October 4 episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “But at the same time, I think … they’re overdoing it a little bit, for sure, especially in my situation.”
Travis’ older brother, Jason Kelce, took a different perspective. “I just think the NFL’s not used to celebrities coming to the games,” the 35-year-old — who plays on the Eagles with Hurts — noted. “Basketball has it figured out. They’re all courtside, they’re sitting there. They show ’em once or twice and then they get back to the game.”
During Travis’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, CBS showed a graphic about his performance on the field when Swift showed up compared to when he is “left to his own devices.” Per the network’s math, the Chiefs tight end has gained 99 yards per game with Swift in the stands compared to the 46.5 yards when she’s not there. “How could I not be aware of this?” Travis told Jason with a laugh during the Wednesday, October 25, episode of their “New Heights” podcast, before referring to the graphic’s pun using her “Anti-Hero” lyrics. “‘Left to his own devices.’ Well put.”
The overwhelming coverage even made it to the Saturday Night Live studio, where the cast spoofed the NFL’s attention on Swift during the season 49 premiere. Travis made a cameo at the end of the sketch. “It was funny. Obviously, [I] didn’t know what was gonna go down but just decided to hit SNL last second and they asked me if I wanted to end the skit that was about, you know, me and Taylor’s takeover of the NFL games,” he recalled during a Friday, October 20, press conference. “Which was hilarious. I loved every bit of it and was laughing my tail off during the skit.”
Swift will continue to help Travis’ mojo by attending more of his games, but a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month that she “doesn’t want to be a distraction.” Per the insider, “She knows it’s not easy when she shows up to his games. It’s a spectacle. She wants to support him and strike a balance while, at the same time, not be distracting to the team.
