Turns out NFL announcers are just like Us: They love a good Taylor Swift lyric reference.
Travis Kelce scored his first touchdown of the season on Sunday, September 17, as the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Jacksonville Jaguars. When Kelce, 33, celebrated with his teammates in the end zone, commentator Ian Eagle alluded to the tight end’s rumored romance with Swift, also 33.
“Kelce finds a blank space for the score,” Eagle teased.
He later quipped that Kelce was able to “shake it off” after being injured. (Kelce missed the Chiefs season opener on September 7 after hyperextending his knee during practice.)
The jokes continued on Sunday with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen naming a series of Swift hits while covering Kelce’s return to the field, including “Delicate,” “Anti-Hero” and “August.” Sharing a clip of the broadcast via Instagram, Eisen wrote in the caption, “Look what you made me do, @killatrav.”
Kelce laughed off the moment in the comments section. “Well played Rich… Well played 👏🏻😂,” he replied.
Reports surfaced earlier this month that Kelce and Swift were spending time together. The athlete previously revealed that he tried to shoot his shot at Swift’s Eras Tour stop in Kansas City — but his attempt was unsuccessful.
“Well, 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,” he said on his and brother Jason Kelce‘s “New Heights” podcast in July. “So I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
While detailing the tradition of exchanging friendship bracelets with other Swifties at the tour, Travis hinted that he made one for Swift with his phone number on it.
“She doesn’t meet anybody — or at least she didn’t want to meet me, so I took it personal,” he joked. “But it was an unbelievable show. Kansas City showed out.”
Swift, who briefly dated Matty Healy following her split from boyfriend of six years Joe Alwyn earlier this year, has yet to address the rumored romance. Travis’ brother, however, played it cool when asked about the A-lister.
“I cannot comment,” Jason, 35, teased in a postgame interview on Thursday, September 14. “Ever since [Travis’ reality show] Catching Kelce, everybody has been infatuated with Travis’ love life. I don’t really know what’s going on there. I know Trav is having fun. We’ll see what happens with whoever he ends up with.”
