Courtesy of Aric Jones/Instagram
Travis Kelce’s Childhood Friend Aric Jones Hangs With Taylor Swift and Kylie Kelce at Playoff Game
Travis Kelce’s childhood best friend Aric Jones spent time with Travis’ superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, at the Sunday, January 21, Kansas City Chiefs playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
“Walk in yo trap,” Aric captioned a slideshow of photos from the big game at New York’s Highmark Stadium, during which the Chiefs won 27-24. The photo carousel included a snapshot of Taylor, 34, playfully sticking her tongue out as she posed alongside Aric, as well as Travis’ brother Jason Kelce’s wife, Kylie Kelce.
Also included in the slide was a video of Jason, 36, running around the stands shirtless, rallying the crowd in support of his younger brother’s team. Jason made headlines that day when he lifted a 9-year-old girl up to Taylor’s box so she could show the “Lover” singer her handmade poster — a move that made some fans describe Jason as being a “big teddy bear.”
Aric’s series of champagne-fueled images concluded with a final one of Travis, 34, surrounded by Taylor and other family and friends, enthusiastically celebrating the Chiefs’ win. Travis and Jason’s mom, Donna Kelce, was also seen in one photo with a proud smile on her face.
Aric, who has been close with Travis since they were growing up in Ohio, first drew attention from fans of the Grammy winner when he was spotted hugging Taylor in the box at the Chiefs’ December 10, 2023, game against the Bills.
Travis and Aric even lived together for a period of two years during their early 20s, proving that their best friendship has stood the test of time.
“He just sent me a picture of a bedroom and said, ‘Here’s your room. It’s waiting for you,’” Aric recalled to Vanity Fair in July 2023 about being Travis’ roommate. Aric accepted Travis’ offer, though he admitted to the outlet that he worried he would be a “burden” to the football player, who was drafted by the Chiefs only one year earlier.
Speaking to Vanity Fair about Aric and his friend-turned-personal-chef Kumar Ferguson, Travis explained, “I’ve known both of them since I was 5, 6 years old. It’s really easy to be yourself when you’ve got the people you grew up with around all the time.”
The two-time Super Bowl winner and his longtime best friend have even worked together in the past. In July 2014, Aric founded Kelce Krazies, LLC, which served as Travis’ official provider of merchandise for two years at the beginning of his career in the NFL.
Though Aric now lives and works in Washington, D.C., he “flies out most weekends” to cheer Travis on at games and “link up with the old gang,” according to Vanity Fair.
