Taylor Swift wasn’t able to attend Travis and Jason Kelce‘s Super Bowl LVII rematch, but plenty of subtle references were made to the pop star throughout the night.
Karma worked in the Philadelphia Eagles’ favor on Monday, November 20, as they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 21-17. Swift, 33, skipped the game in Kansas City due to a rescheduled concert in Brazil but previously attended four of Travis’ games amid their budding romance.
Swift’s presence at Chiefs games has been a major focus throughout the NFL season since she was first spotted at Arrowhead Stadium in September. Travis, 33, and Jason, 36, later debated whether the league was “overdoing it” with its coverage of Swift.
“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. But at the same time, I think … they’re overdoing it a little bit, for sure, especially in my situation,” Travis said on an episode of the siblings’ “New Heights” podcast in October, adding that he thinks the NFL is “just trying to have fun” by joining in on the conversation.
Jason compared the NFL’s coverage to that of an NBA game, saying, “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.”
At the time, the league defended its interest in Travis and Swift, noting in a statement that the organization wanted to lean into the “intersection of sport and entertainment.”
While the Kelces — including parents Ed and Donna Kelce — are used to the NFL spotlight, their connection to Swift has shot them to a new level of fame. “My kids get paid by fans. That’s the gist of it. And you had better be nice to them,” Donna exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month while reflecting on her sons’ success and bizarre fan encounters. “That’s all I tell them.”
Travis, meanwhile, is all in on his romance with Swift regardless of the heightened attention. “Obviously I’ve never dated anyone with that kind of aura about them … I’ve never dealt with it,” he told WSJ. Magazine in a profile published Monday. “But at the same time, I’m not running away from any of it. … The scrutiny she gets, how much she has a magnifying glass on her, every single day, paparazzi outside her house, outside every restaurant she goes to, after every flight she gets off, and she’s just living, enjoying life. When she acts like that, I better not be the one acting all strange.”
Scroll down for more subtle references to Swift at the Chiefs vs. Eagles game:
Fearless (Travis’ Version)
When discussing Travis’ stats, the broadcasters showed a graphic similar to the Fearless (Taylor’s Version) album cover. On the opposite side of the screen, an animated version of the tight end stood in a large mirrored box, seemingly taking after the “Look What You Made Me Do” set design on Swift’s Eras Tour.
A separate graphic was shown of head coach Andy Reid with photos of Chiefs players behind him made to look like Swift’s Eras Tour merchandise. “The Winning Era” was written beneath the image.
The Eagles T-Shirt
“In our winning era,” read the caption of a video shared via the Eagles TikTok account after the game. In the clip, an Eagles T-shirt was hung on a doorknob as “IYKYK” flashed on the screen. (Swift’s song “Gold Rush” includes the lyric, “With my Eagles T-shirt hanging from the door.”)
Make the Friendship Bracelets
After their victory, the Eagles social media accounts shared a pic of a beaded friendship bracelet that spelled out “Eagles Win.”
Fans who attended a watch party hosted by the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast on Monday night also repped with friendship bracelets, per pics shared via the show’s Instagram Story.
Dressing for Revenge
A clip of the Eagles arriving in Kansas City made a reference to Swift’s song “Vigilante S–t.” The team teased via X (formerly Twitter), “Lately we’ve been dressing for revenge” as the players showed off their pregame outfits.
The Guy on the Chiefs
Travis waved to a fan in the stadium who held a sign reading, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs,” referring to Swift’s lyric change from a recent Eras Tour show in Argentina.
The NFL’s official account shared a video of Travis and Jason’s game day arrivals, teasing, “Guy on the Chiefs & Sexiest Man Alive Nominee.”
Donna in the Box
The announcers commented on Swift’s absence on Monday night after Travis’ mom was shown in the family’s private box, hinting that there was an empty seat in the suite. The broadcasters also explained that Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelce, opted to sit in the stands, but she wasn’t featured on camera.
