Travis Kelce Reveals What Jason Kelce’s Kids Used to Call Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift Makes Surprise Emmys 2026 Appearance—But It's Not What You Think
Jason Kelce’s daughters had a tough time with Taylor Swift’s big reputation.
When the Grammy winner began dating the NFL alum’s brother Travis Kelce, Jason's daughters Wyatt, 6, Elliotte, 5, Bennett, 3, Finnley, 18 months—whom he shares with wife Kylie Kelce—couldn’t quite shake off wanting to call Taylor by her full name.
“We had to break that habit of your daughters,” Travis said on the Sept. 16 episode of his and Jason’s New Heights podcast. “When they got to meet Aunt Tay Tay, they were calling her 'Taylor Swift.’”
Indeed, Jason recalled them saying, “‘Taylor Swift, can I do this? Taylor Swift!’”
But in his girls’ defense, Jason noted that’s just what happens when “somebody gets that famous.”
Even so, he let his little ones know, “You can call her ‘Taylor.'”
Though Travis, 36, called the habit “adorable,” he also admitted he sometimes struggles with playing it cool around Hollywood’s biggest celebs.
After all, it took the three-time Super Bowl champ some time to get used to his friendship with Tom Cruise, who was spotted cheering on Travis’ Kansas City Chiefs as they took on the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri on Sept. 14.
“It was definitely ‘Tom Cruise’ for the first two times,” Travis said, “but then him coming to the game and us having a sit-down right here I mean, that’s my guy.”
But Tom wasn’t the only special guest in the house as the Chiefs defeated the Broncos 31-10. Indeed, two months after Taylor and Travis tied the knot at Madison Square Garden in New York City July 3, the “Red” singer made the whole place shimmer as she stepped out for her first NFL game since entering her wifey era.
Photo by Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images,Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Prime Video
After the outing, Pat McAfee—who was also in the star-studded suite alongside Taylor’s parents Scott Swift and Andrea Swift, as well as Travis’ mom Donna Kelce—shared insight into what it was like cheering on the Chiefs with the “Karma” singer.
“She’s all in,” McAfee revealed during the Sept. 15 episode of his ESPN series The Pat McAfee Show. “I know she had an Eagles jersey on when she was young, she sang the National Anthem but she’s been so busy with her career I wasn’t sure how much she was into football and how much everybody else that was in there.”
“Obviously, you’ve got the Kelce portion in there—they’re all football people,” he added. “Watching them experience a game was fantastic.”
Keep reading for a look back at how Taylor and Travis created a connection out of their wildest dreams…
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July 2023: Make the Friendship Bracelets
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's love story began in July 2023, when the singer's Eras Tour made a stop at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
As a huge Swiftie, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end caught the show with hopes of giving Taylor a friendship bracelet with his number on it. However, he failed to complete the pass due to her pre-show rituals.
"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," Travis shared on the July 26 episode of his New Heights podcast. "So, I was a little butt-hurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her."
JC Olivera/Getty Images
Summer 2023: This Is Him Trying
After publicly recounting his fumble—a move Taylor would later describe as "metal as hell"—Travis decided to shoot his shot and invite the Grammy winner to watch the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium.
"I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court," he shared on The Pat McAfee Show. "I told her, you know, 'I've seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit.' So, we'll see what happens in the near future."
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August 2023: Enchanted to Meet You
Travis was rocking a mustache—which he debuted in August during training camp—when he was first introduced to Taylor.
As he later noted of the era, "That 'stache and the 87 jersey was pretty iconic there for a little bit, and I had it when I met Taylor for the first time."
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy / David Eulitt/Getty Images
September 2023: Sparks Fly
By early September, a source close to the situation told E! News that Travis and Taylor were "texting and talking here and there."
"It's been very low-key," the insider explained, "as he's been in season."
Cooper Neill/Getty Images
September 2023: Cheer Captain
Accepting Travis' invite, Taylor joined the athlete's mom Donna Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium to watch him and the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears. After the game, Taylor and Travis were seen packing PDA at a local bar.
Though folklore had it that it was the couple's first in-person meeting, the "Karma" singer later clarified the two had spent a "significant amount of time" getting to know each other beforehand.
As Taylor noted, "We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date."
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
October 2023: Team Up
As an indication that the relationship was heating up, Taylor brought her squad—including friends Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sophie Turner, Hugh Jackman, Sabrina Carpenter and Antoni Porowski—to watch the Chiefs play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
David Eulitt/Getty Images
October 2023: It's Nice to Have a Friend
Another sign that Travis could be The 1? Taylor started bonding with Brittany Mahomes—the wife of Travis' BFF and teammate Patrick Mahomes—in and outside of NFL games.
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October 2023: Welcome to New York
The couple took their romance to TV, making a surprise appearance on the Oct. 14 episode of Saturday Night Live. Their Big Apple takeover also included the after-party for the NBC sketch show and a date night at the Waverly Inn.
Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
November 2023: Karma Is Her Boyfriend
During a bye week, Travis traveled down to Argentina to catch the South American leg of Taylor's Eras Tour. Not only did the NFL star bond with Taylor's dad, Scott Swift, at the Nov. 11 show in Buenos Aires, but he also got a special shoutout from the stage.
"Karma is that guy on the Chiefs," Taylor sang, "coming straight home to me."
After the show, the Midnights artist was seen running up to Travis backstage and greeting him with a passionate kiss.
Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
December 2023: Speak Now
Taylor addressed the lavender craze surrounding her appearances at Travis' games.
"I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care," she told Time. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone."
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December 2023: You, Who Charmed Her Dad
The music superstar turned Travis' Dec. 17 game into a family affair, bringing her dad to cheer on her man.
Gotham/GC Images
January 2024: All the Midnights
Taylor and Travis spent their first New Year's Eve together, sharing a romantic kiss when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1.
Kathryn Riley / Contributor (Getty Images)
January 2024: Chosen Family
Continuing to bond with Travis' family, Taylor hung out with his brother Jason Kelce and sister-in-law Kylie Kelce at the Chiefs' game against the Buffalo Bills.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
January 2024: Saved by the Perfect Kiss
Taylor joined Travis on the football field when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship, a victory that cemented the team's spot in the 2024 Super Bowl. The couple shared a celebratory kiss before exchanging the L-word.
"Tay, I'm gonna enjoy with the guys," he told her. "I love you—so much it's not funny."
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
February 2024: Super Bowl Champs
The pair locked lips on the field after Travis led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas.
TikTok
February 2024: TikTok Official
Taylor posted footage of Travis on social media for the first time Feb. 12, poking fun at how she took her parents clubbing with the athlete after the Super Bowl.
Instagram / Taylor Swift
June 2024: Instagram Official
Taylor's first Instagram pic featuring Travis was a selfie of the two with Prince William and his and wife Kate Middleton's eldest kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage at the singer's Eras tour show at Wembley Stadium in London.
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
June 2024: Travis' Eras Tour Stage Debut
While attending his seventh Eras tour concert, and second show at London's Wembley Stadium, the NFL star joined his girlfriend onstage as a backup performer during her performance of "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart."
September 2024: Back in the Game
Taylor joined Travis for the Chief's first game of the regular 2024-25 season and appeared to re-enact a PDA moment from October 2023 in this photo shared by Chariah Gordon, who is pictured with her boyfriend, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Janet Mayer / Splash by Shutterstock
September 2024: Wedding Date
The two attended model Karen Elson's wedding to Electric Lady Studios owner Lee Foster in New York City.
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September 2024: U.S. Open Date
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October 2024: Double Date
The two stepped out for a double dinner date with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in NYC.
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December 2024: Empire State of Mind
The pair stepped out for two back-to-back dates in New York City over the last weekend of 2024, matching outfits both times.
Travis Kelce/Instagram
March 2025: Off-Season Adventures
The pair spent the NFL off-season together, enjoying a snowy vacation to Montana with sportscaster Erin Andrews.
Travis Kelce/Instagram
July 2025: Instagram Hard Launch
Travis posted his first pics with Taylor on Instagram in July 2025, including an adorable shot of them at dinner—which subtly revealed their phone lockscreen pics of one another.
New Heights/YouTube
August: 2025: Taking Their Romance to New Heights
Self-described New Heights superfan Taylor made her debut on Travis and Jason's podcast in a nearly two-hour-long special episode Aug. 13. In addition to very candidly detailing their life together—in and out of the spotlight—Taylor also revealed her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl, set to debut Oct. 3.
Instagram/KillaTrav
August 2025: She'd Marry Him With Paper Rings
More than two years after Travis' podcast shoutout heard 'round the world, Travis and Taylor announced they are engaged. Making a cheeky reference to her song "So High School." the two captioned the Aug. 26 Instagram post featuring their engagement photos, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married."
While Taylor would've married Travis with paper rings, the athlete popped the question with an old mine brilliant cut diamond sparkler he co-designed with Artifex Fine Jewelry's Kindred Lubeck.
John Shearer/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
October 2025: The Life of a Showgirl in Love
Taylor released The Life of a Showgirl, her 12th studio album that she recorded during the Eras Tour. Songs about her romance with Travis include "The Fate of Ophelia"—which included many Easter eggs about the NFL star—and "Wood," in which she cheekily sang that his "love was the key that opened my thighs.”
"New Heights of manhood," Taylor continued on the track, referencing the name of Travis' podcast. "I ain't gotta knock on wood."
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
March 2026: iHeartTaylor
Taylor and Travis made their first award show appearance as a couple at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, where she won seven trophies including Pop Album of the Year for The Life of a Showgirl.
"The Life of a Showgirl was really inspired by the energy that I felt like looking into crowds and seeing you guys every single night," she told fans in the audience. "This album probably also feels very happy and confident and free because that's the way that I get to feel every single day of my life because of my fiancé, who's here tonight."
Taylor added as a nod to her "The Fate of Ophelia" lyrics, "So, thanks for all the vibes."
Jason Miller/Getty Images
June 2026: In the Knick of Time
Ahead of their highly anticipated wedding, the couple enjoyed a PDA-filled date night at a New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game in Travis' hometown.
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