Kansas City Chiefs coaches and fans might become even more a part of the Taylor Swift fan club after Sunday’s 31-17 win against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Coach Andy Reid praised tight end Travis Kelce’s performance in the game and in recent games, seemingly attributing it to the Taylor Swift effect.
Travis Kelce had 12 catches for 179 yards and one TD during the Chiefs’ 31-17 win over the Chargers. Kelce now has five career games with at least 150 receiving yards, joining Shannon Sharpe as the only TEs in NFL history with at least five games of at least 150 receiving yards. pic.twitter.com/VCXAakUmPW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 23, 2023
“Taylor can stay around all she wants,” Reid said in a postgame press conference, per NFL.com.
He also observed, “Kelce keeps getting better with time,” per CBS Sports.
Kelce earned an impressive 12 receptions for 179 yards, as well as a touchdown during the game.
Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes now have their very own handshake and we can’t shake it off. 😂🤝
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) October 23, 2023
🔗: https://t.co/FuEOr1wuPU pic.twitter.com/DNrhoNNFlf
Following the thrilling touchdown catch, cameras captured Swift swapping a secret handshake with Brittany Mahomes, quarterback Patrick Mahome’s wife, in Kelce’s suite, per a post on X by Entertainment Tonight.
Facts are facts: In the four games Taylor Swift has been in attendance, Travis Kelce is averaging 108 receiving yards per game.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 23, 2023
In the games she was not, he's averaging 46.5. pic.twitter.com/ubOofHcvrr
Does Travis Kelce play better when Taylor Swift is at the game?
Kelce’s season with the Chiefs is off to a promising start, but notably, it appears his game improves when Swift is in the stands. During the four games Swift has attended, he’s averaging 108 receiving yards per game. Compare that to the 46.5 receiving yards he has averaged at the games where Swift was absent, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported on X.
The big performance Sunday marked Kelce’s fifth game where he racked up 150 plus receiving yards, matching Shannon Sharpe’s record wherein a tight end averaged 150 plus receiving yards in five games, per CBS Sports.
This isn’t the first time Reid has mentioned a vested interest in their relationship. Following her first appearance at one of Kelce’s games in September, Reid told reporters, “I set ’em up,” per Sports Illustrated.
Swift appeared at the Chiefs’ game on Sept. 23 against the Chicago Bears, sitting next to Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, and ever since, NFL commentators, sideline reporters and fans on social media have chattered about the relationship.
And the media frenzy surrounding the famous couple doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon.