From Cardigans to Chiefs Kingdom: How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Made Football Cool for Swifties

“Quite literally nothing,” said Kellsie Hicks, a Taylor Swift fan since her self-titled debut album, when asked about what she knew before “Tayvis” (Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce) took over the world.

Before the star-studded relationship blossomed in 2023, Swifties were busy live-streaming The Eras Tour, decoding surprise songs and outfit changes.

The relationship between the two would have Swifties trading in their cozy cardigans for Kansas City Chiefs bold red jerseys and going to a place they never imagined... ESPN.

The Bracelet Heard ‘Round the World

Like all iconic love stories, it began with a podcast mic.

“If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets, and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it,” Kelce said on New Heights, the podcast he cohosts with his brother Jason Kelce, former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Swifties immediately clamored to learn who the heck this “guy on the Chiefs” was and what he was all about. Initially, fans had mixed feelings about Kelce, given his world being vastly different from Swift’s.

“I said, who the heck is Travis Kelce? Like, who does he think he is?” Hicks said. “That’s so ridiculous, some football player thinks he has a chance with Taylor Swift.”

While Kelce was unable to give the bracelet to Swift, the pair’s connection was confirmed when the singer showed up to the Chiefs’ game on Sept. 24, 2023 – a day that will be forever known in Swiftie history.

The internet exploded and #Tayvis was born. A video circulated of the pair walking through a tunnel at the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium together, looking smitten. Swift’s blushing, smiling face immediately changed the tune of doubting Swifties like Hicks.

“All of a sudden, I had to learn everything about Travis Kelce,” Hicks said.

Cobin McKelvy, East Tennessee State University student and president of the school’s Swift Society, recalls seeing her at the game as the moment he knew Swift and Kelce were in it for the long haul.

“The first time that I saw them together at that game, I knew they were endgame,” said McKelvy. “Her body language around him proves that she wants to be there and that he wants to be there with her.”

From Eras to Endzones

As Tayvis went public, Swifties followed suit straight to the NFL.

What began as a mission to catch glimpses of Taylor in the VIP box morphed into Swifties actually paying attention to the game.

“At first, I was definitely just watching the games for Taylor Swift, but once I kind of started picking up on the game, I really started actually enjoying the game,” said Hicks.

McKelvy holds a similar sentiment.

“I have started watching the Chief’s games and Sunday Night,” said McKelvy. “I watched the Super Bowl. Previously, I only watched it for the commercials, but since Travis has been in it recently, I have watched it for the game.”

Some fans have gone beyond the Chiefs and developed opinions of their own.

“That is the problem, I started liking football so much that I do not like the Chiefs,” said Hicks. “I like Travis Kelce, and I still watch the Chiefs. I would say out of the NFL, the Bills are my favorite.”

However, Hicks favors college football more because of her boyfriend's preference for it and the time she spends watching it with him. Because of this, she keeps up with college football on her own, while usually only watching the NFL with her boyfriend or while she is working at Applebee’s, a hub for football fans.

“There’s a big difference between college football and NFL,” Hicks said. “The NFL is boring compared to college.”

Both McKelvy and Hicks own and wear Chief's merchandise; in fact, they both own a shirt with “Taylor Swift’s Boyfriend” on it. In the winter, Hicks wears a Chiefs beanie in support of Swift’s relationship.

“I got to rep my girl always,” Hicks said.

We’re not just here for Taylor anymore (Well... sort of)

As Swifties embraced the new sport, new doors opened for them, and they made connections to those they had not before.

Hicks attributed her interest in sports as a way of bonding with coworkers who she previously had little in common with.

“I am a big music fan and they are not really into music,” Hicks said. “This was actually a common ground we ended up bonding over.”

McKelvy formed Swift Society to bring the community aspect of the Eras Tour to ETSU, what he did not imagine was throwing a Super Bowl watch party for Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.

“It was a pretty big turnout, I was surprised,” McKelvy said. “We had a few Chiefs fans and few Eagles fans. We told everyone to dress up as which team they preferred.”

Now the club does more than talk Taylor, they discuss games and NFL heartthrobs like the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

“For instance, we talked about the Bengals versus the Chiefs,” McKelvy said. "I think that's pretty cool that our club can not only talk about Taylor Swift.”

McKelvy’s knowledge of the game has grown his bond with his father and helped his confidence in discussing sports with others.

“Now if they ask, ‘did you watch the game last night?,’ I am like ‘yeah did you see this?’” McKelvy said. “I think it is pretty fun that I can get involved with people rather than saying, ‘No I did not watch the game.’”

Dads, Brads, Chads and the NFL Meltdown

Of course, not everyone lives in the sparkling, glittering world of Swifties where you find your superstar boyfriend through a friendship bracelet. Super fans of the NFL, famously coined as Dads, Brads and Chads by Swift herself in a 2023 Time Magazine interview, freaked out when the singer took up screen time during the games.

Despite being seen for a few seconds, they accused the league of being endangered by a Swift takeover.

“The fact that these grown men were acting like this, it literally just made me chuckle because they make fun of us for being like that with Taylor Swift,” Hicks said. “They get so pressed about a little football game, throwing this ball around, and then they get mad when she pulls up.”

McKelvy, who heard plenty of anti-Swift takes from his fraternity brothers, had a different point of view.

“It is really sad that in today’s day and age that they still treat women like that,” said McKelvy. “She did not ask for the cameras to show her; they just showed her.”

The American Royal Wedding

By the time Taylor and Travis announced their engagement earlier this year, Swifties were all in.

Between Kelce popping up at multiple Eras Tour stops and Swift referencing him during award shows and in new lyrics, the couple’s mutual support had Swifties swooning.

Swift announced her new album, The Life of a Showgirl on Kelce’s podcast, giving fans a sneak peek into their adorable dynamic.

“I am really glad that she announced it on the podcast because it shows how much she loves Travis and how much she cares for him,” said McKelvy.

The hype around Swift and Kelce’s nuptials has dubbed their big day as The American Royal Wedding. Until then, Swifties will be tuning in to Chiefs to see Taylor Swift’s fiancé and, hopefully, her engagement ring.

“She genuinely looks like she is glowing, you cannot ignore that,” Hicks said. “The fact that are getting married makes me so happy because of all of her songs that talk about no one ever wanting to marry her – look at her now.”

While the relationship feels straight out of Swift’s “You Belong with Me,” the love story of Tayvis and Swifties’ unexpected bond with football shows that life, or a friendship bracelet, can take you places you never dreamed of.