Kelce directly addressed Swift's appearance at his game on his podcast New Heights after some prodding from his brother and co-host Jason Kelce. “Shoutout to Taylor for pulling up, that was pretty ballsy!" the athlete said. He then praised Swift for being a good hang. “I just thought it was awesome how everybody in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her, the friends and family. She looked amazing. Everyone was talking about her in great light.”
After his brother teased him about Swift “putting [him] on the map,” Kelce said the event was a “game I will remember” for more reasons than one, and couldn't resist making a song lyric joke. “Then we just slid off in the getaway car at the end," he said.
The athlete did open up a bit about the frenzy around their potential pairing, but he said he'll be keeping a bit more quiet in the future. “I know I brought all this attention to me. I did the whole friendship bracelet thing and told everyone how butt hurt I was I didn’t get to meet Taylor,” he explained. “I think what’s real is that it is my personal life and I want to respect both of our lives. I’m enjoying life and I sure as hell enjoyed this weekend."
September 26, 2023: Kelce's ex-girlfriend warns Swift, calls him a “cheater.”
Kelce's ex-girlfriend Maya Benberry, who dated the athlete for a few months after winning his dating show Catching Kelce in 2016, had some, um, advice for Swift. “Only time will tell but like the saying always goes, once a cheater, always a cheater,” Benberry told the Daily Mail.
“Taylor seems like such a fun girl with a beautiful spirit, so I wish her the best of luck, but I wouldn’t be a girls’ girl if I didn’t advise her to be smart!” Benberry shared. "I’m sure by now she has mastered the ability to see who is really there for her — and who is just using her.”
However, a source shot down Benberry's claims to Page Six, saying that she and Kelce barely spent time together; the athlete then went on to date Kayla Nicole from 2017 to 2022. “They dated literally less than three months, and they were contractually obligated to not announce their breakup,” the source shared. “So when she says, ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater,’ she doesn’t even know what she’s talking about. This is very much a 15-minutes-of-fame type of a moment for her.”
September 26, 2023: A source says the two are “having fun."
Swift's appearance at the game was a pretty big deal, but a source told PEOPLE that the singer and the athlete are still in the early stages of getting to know each other. "They're having fun," the source shared. "This was Taylor's first time meeting his mom and dad, and everyone was enjoying themselves. She was super chill and low-key hanging out with his friends and family." According to the source, there's “no pressure” with the two at the moment.
September 25, 2023: Swift and Kelce have reportedly hung out “in a very private setting."
Given Swift's rapport with Kelce's mom and the rumored couple's apparent body language, it seemed as though the Chiefs game wasn't their first meeting. According to TMZ, Swift and Kelce had actually hung out “several times" prior to the high-profile event “in a very private setting.” A source told the outlet that Swift and Kelce have hung out a few times over the past few months, though the September 24 game was her first time meeting Donna.
September 24, 2023: Swift and Kelce leave the game together.
As if Swift's appearance at the game wasn't newsworthy enough, the duo were snapped leaving the game together, with Kelce dressed in Kid Super's 1989 Bedroom Painting outfit — a potential nod to Swift's forthcoming re-record? According to ET, Kelce then rented out an entire restaurant in Kansas City for himself, Swift, and his friends and family. “Travis bought out the restaurant for his family and team. Taylor arrived, wearing a denim dress, and was seen snacking, having some co*cktails and dancing alongside Travis,” a source shared. "The two were very affectionate with one another but kept things fun and lighthearted. Travis' teammates also showed up to the after-party, as well as his mom and dad, Donna and Ed. The party lasted until 2 a.m."
September 24, 2023: Swift accepts Kelce's invite.
Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on September 24, 2023
