Before Taylor Swift started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, the singer took note of his off-the-field talents.
In a twist of fate, Kelce’s “Saturday Night Live” appearance last year first linked the duo about five months before they met. The guys behind the Please Don’t Destroy videos, Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, revealed the story on Mike Birbiglia’s “Working It Out” podcast.
“We worked with both Taylor and Travis Kelce before they got together,” Marshall said. Kelce hosted the late-night show in March 2023. Swift last hosted in November 2021, joining the Please Don’t Destroy team for the “Three Sad Virgins” music video. After the couple started dating, the “Blank Space” singer and Kelce made surprise appearances on the show in October 2023.
BYE pic.twitter.com/1hRUHiAQkF
— grace ⸆⸉ (@killlatay) February 29, 2024
“And we can cut this out if you guys don’t want to say this but, she kind of told us that she watched his ‘SNL’ episode and saw him in our video and was like, ‘This guy seems funny,’” Marshall said. “So a little bit brought them together.”
Marshall almost told this story during an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, but feared jinxing the couple. And the possible backlash. “I think that if then they break up, we will somehow be like pinned as causing this disaster,” Marshall said. “It’s just a very precarious situation. People have strong feelings.” Birbiglia has also worked with Swift. The comedian appeared in her “Anti-Hero” music video.
Asked by @SamMcDowell11 if considering retirement, Travis Kelce playfully says everyone has to think about it but adds that he has no plans to do so any time soon … even as acknowledges options opened up by SNL appearance and such. pic.twitter.com/W8smPnO20M
— Vahe Gregorian (@vgregorian) January 11, 2024
Nearly a year after hosting “SNL,” the three-time Super Bowl champ is still gushing over the experience. After shutting down retirement rumors in January, Kelce opened up about what life may look like after hanging up his cleats. “I have no reason to stop playing football. Man, I love it,” Kelce told reporters. “We still have success. Come in with the right mindset. I just love the challenge that it gives me every day to try and be at my best. Like I said, I have no desire to stop anytime soon.”
As for what he’d do if he retired, “That’s the point of the offseason,” Kelce replied. “Being able to get out there and find what you really love to do. I’ve been fortunate to do a few things outside of the sports world that I enjoy doing. Like getting on camera, the ‘SNL’ stuff kinda opened up kind of opened a new happiness and a new career path for me.” During his “SNL” appearance, Kelce turned into the intimidating self-defense instructor Kurt Lightening alongside the Please Don’t Destroy trio.
