Pop-Tarts and diamond rings: Travis
Kelce and Taylor Swift's engagement rips through Chiefs practice
[August 27, 2025]
By DAVE SKRETTA
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Moments before the news raced across social
media that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift had become engaged, Chiefs
coach Andy Reid had stepped to a podium to talk about the coming
season, which begins for them next weekend in Brazil.
Good-natured defensive end Mike Danna followed him. And by that
point, everything in Kansas City had changed.
Kelce and Swift had made their announcement on Instagram.
"I just got told 30 seconds ago,” Danna said with a smile, when by
sheer fortune — or perhaps misfortune — the timing of the news made
him the only member of the franchise available to speak about the
pending nuptials. “I’m so happy for them — Trav, Taylor, that’s a
wonderful time in their life. A wonderful part of their journey.
That’s a wonderful thing to see.”
Asked whether he had an engagement gift in mind, Danna pondered the
homemade pop-tarts that Swift occasionally makes for the team — the
ones he called “dangerous” for Kelce and the big guys along the
offensive and defensive lines.
"I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said, laughing.
“Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”
It's unclear when and where the Chiefs tight end and one of the
world's most famous musicians got engaged. Representatives for Swift
and Kelce did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’
request for comment on that detail, though Swift publicist Tree
Paine confirmed the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut
diamond from Kindred Lubeck.
The Chiefs do not anticipate making Kelce available to reporters
until next week in Brazil, where the reigning AFC champions are set
to open the season against the rival Los Angeles Chargers on Friday
night in Sao Paulo.
"Today is a fairytale,” the Chiefs posted on social media around the
end of practice. “Congrats to Travis and Taylor — we’re excited to
have you as a permanent member of the Chiefs Kingdom family!”
Kelce certainly looked as though nothing in his world had changed
Tuesday as he went through pre-practice stretching alongside his
close friend, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He chatted up a
couple of trainers and then went about his business.
Then again, Kelce always has been able to compartmentalize his busy
life.
[to top of second column] |
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss
after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo
Bills, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis,
File)
Even as he was helping the Chiefs back to the Super
Bowl last season, the soon-to-be 36-year-old Kelce was juggling
myriad obligations. There's his record-setting and award-winning
“New Heights” podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother, retired
Eagles center Jason Kelce, and his hosting duties on a range of
television shows. He even has dipped his toe into the world of
acting, making his debut in the series “The Grotesquerie” and
appearing in the film “Happy Gilmore 2.”
And of course, his relationship with Swift, which began about two
years ago, when Kelce had failed to deliver her a friendship
bracelet at a concert and invited her to watch him perform at
Arrowhead Stadium instead.
She ultimately took him up on the offer. And their love story was
underway.
Given everything happening in his personal life, some wondered
whether Kelce might call it quits after last season, especially the
way the Chiefs were dominated in a 40-22 loss to the Eagles in the
Super Bowl. But if anything, the lopsided defeat only inspired him,
and Kelce spent the offseason getting in better shape for another
shot at a fourth championship ring.
“You know,” Kelce said during training camp, when asked to ponder
his return to the field, “football is the biggest driving force I
have ever had. I love coming out here and focusing on this and
trying to get better for another run.”
Kelce appeared in 16 regular-season games last season, sitting out
only a meaningless regular-season finale, and had 93 catches for 823
yards and three scores. He has 1,004 catches for 12,151 yards and 77
touchdowns in his 12-year career.
“Every year he just gets wiser and wiser,” fellow Chiefs tight end
Noah Gray said. “Watching him and his practice habits and the way he
works always rubs off on us. When you’ve a leader like that, that
continues to lead the room, continues to lead the team, it rubs off
on everybody else and it makes a huge difference.”
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