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Travis Kelce Gets Called ‘Travis Swift’ by NFL in Preview Video for Upcoming Chiefs-Dolphins Game
Just call him Mr. Swift. The NFL gave Travis Kelce a new nickname inspired by girlfriend Taylor Swift in a preview for the Kansas City Chiefs’ upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins.
“The Dolphins didn’t lock wideouts up this year,” a voiceover said in a video about the Saturday, January 13 Wild Card matchup. “They gave up a 108.3 rate to tight ends, seven touchdowns, only one pick, and now they take on Travis Swift.”
In addition to calling the tight end “Travis Swift,” the video featured clips of Taylor, 34, supporting Travis, 34, at Chiefs games. One showed the pop star sticking her tongue out at Gillette Stadium during the December 20, 2023, game against the New England Patriots. Meanwhile, another clip showed Taylor’s viral handshake with fellow Chiefs WAG Brittany Mahomes at the home game against the Los Angeles Chargers on October 22, 2023.
Taylor and Travis, who began dating in July 2023, went public with their relationship when Taylor made her first appearance at a Chiefs game two months later. The camera crews couldn’t resist showing glimpses of the “Cruel Summer” hitmaker in the VIP box, sitting beside Travis’ mom, Donna Kelce, as they cheered for his team’s win against the Chicago Bears. The pop star has been a mainstay at home games (and a few away games) since then.
The NFL hasn’t shied away from featuring Taylor in their promos. They’ve included her songs in videos, shared Taylor-related memes and referenced the relationship during games. It’s not too surprising that they’ve wanted to capitalize on her presence, though, as the Chiefs-Bears game was the most-watched NFL game of the week with 24.3 million viewers.
In October 2023, Travis admitted that the NFL’s coverage of Taylor might have gone a little overboard.
“I think it brings a little more to the atmosphere, it brings a little bit more to what you’re watching,” the Chiefs player admitted to brother Jason Kelce on their “New Heights” podcast. “But at the same time, I think … they’re overdoing it a little bit, for sure. Especially my situation.”
The coverage has caused a bit of an uproar among many NFL fans who wish the league would keep the relationship off screen and focus on football. However, Taylor clapped back at the critics in her December 2023 Person of the Year interview with TIME.
“I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in,” she said. “There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once. I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads and Chads.”
Plus, Taylor added, “Football is awesome, it turns out. I’ve been missing out my whole life.”
