Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end, has been making waves both on and off the field lately. After the Chiefs’ tough Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on February 9, 2025, retirement rumors swirled around the 35-year-old NFL veteran. A hilarious moment with a FOX reporter and a heartfelt reveal about his decision process have only fueled the chatter-and yes, Taylor Swift‘s name has come up too.
Let’s set the scene: post-game, FOX Sports reporter Erin Andrews tried to get the scoop from Kelce. Still reeling from the 40-22 defeat, Kelce wasn’t in the mood. Andrews shared on her Calm Down podcast, “I saw him coming out of the locker room, and he was so upset. I went in for a hug, said, ‘I love you,’ and he was like, ‘Thanks, but I gotta go.‘” Essentially, a polite “get lost!”-and who could blame him after that night? But the real story came later when Kelce confirmed he’s not retiring yet, and he dropped some hints about who’s influencing him.
On February 27, Pat McAfee read a text from Kelce on his show: “I’m coming back for sure. Gonna try and get back to the mountaintop.” So, who helped him decide? His brother, Jason Kelce, seems to be the MVP here.
On The Steam Room, Jason said, “I think he probably, in his heart, already knows what he wants to do,” hinting at deep brotherly talks. Their New Heights podcast has been a space where Travis has wrestled with the “wear and tear” of 12 seasons, and Jason’s nudges-post his own retirement-likely tipped the scales.
How Jason and Taylor Swift fueled his comeback
But what about Taylor Swift? Fans are dying to know if the pop icon swayed Kelce’s choice. Earlier this year, on The Stephen A. Smith Show , Kelce said, “She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game. She loves coming to Arrowhead and cheering for me.”
While Swift isn’t the mastermind behind his return, her support clearly matters. Posts on X even suggest he’s been listening to her “sad music” to process the Super Bowl loss-showing she’s part of his emotional playbook, if not the final call.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach added, “He’s fired up… I still think he has that fire,” and with a $11.5 million bonus looming by March 15, Kelce’s got plenty of fuel. Swift’s encouragement? A bonus perk, not the deciding factor. For now, Kelce’s back.
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