Taylor Swift fans looking to find dirt on Travis Kelce online — or in his recent Wall Street Journal interview — were gravely disappointed this week. Instead, they might have just unearthed the biggest Swiftie of them all.
In their latest efforts to familiarize themselves with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Swifties revisited Kelce’s tweets dating as far back as September 2009, when he was a student at the University of Cincinnati.
The through-line? Kelce is a big patron of restaurant chains. And spelling errors won’t stop him from sharing that on social media.
“I need more Travis Kelce old tweets. They’re just so wholesome and funny,” posted X user @TravyTaylor89. “I get it now why Taylor loves him.”
“I don’t really care about Taylor swift and Travis kelce but his old tweets honestly have me 110% on board,” wrote “Trayvis” (“Taylor” + “Travis”) convert @dargonaire.
The 34-year-old Super Bowl champ first sparked dating rumors with Swift, also 34, in September. After she played at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium during her Eras tour in July, Kelce invited the Grammy-winning singer back to the Chiefs’ house to watch a Sept. 24 game against the Chicago Bears. What followed were more game appearances, public outings, hand-holding and backstage smooching.
However, before Kelce rose to NFL fame and became Swift’s latest lover, he was just a college student trying to survive his classes. “Sooo this teacher tried to call on me in class like i wasnt paying attention, well i was and i didnt fold under preasure, DUB,” he tweeted on Nov. 9, 2009.
“Too hype I just got this C on my exam without even studying… just using common knowledge!! s/o to Papa Kelce for the gene’s,” he posted on Oct. 24, 2011.
Instead of finding problematic posts or memes, Swifties found tweets displaying Kelce’s love for the MGMT song “Electric Feel,” appreciation for animals — including one enthusiastic “squirle” — and his loyalty to IHOP, Taco Bell and post-therapy “#chipolte.” Kelce’s past tweets also document his passion for comedy.
On Aug. 6, 2011, he tweeted: “At this improv comedy show….At least if sports isn’t where I make money, I can easily do stuff like this…” Twelve years later, Kelce would host “Saturday Night Live” twice.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift seen leaving the “SNL” afterparty on Oct. 15 in New York.
(MEGA / GC Images)
Comedy has long had an important place in the two-time Super Bowl winner’s heart and home, the tight end told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Monday. When he began dating Swift, he said he needed to invite her into the world of his favorite comics.
“I let her know: This is my jam right here,” he told WSJ. According to the newspaper, Kelce’s phone ringtone is a clip of late comedian Chris Farley screaming “For the love of God!”
The athlete’s seemingly unpretentious personality and in-the-moment culinary musings remain in his current, highly public life. According to the WSJ interview, one of his favorite “desserts” is French toast “dripping with whipped cream and syrup.” Additionally, his custom Rolls-Royce Ghost flexes a ceiling of twinkling lights mimicking a galaxy of stars — including shooting stars.
“Make a wish. Dreams come true,” Kelce told writer J.R. Moehringer. When asked about the stars, Kelce responded, “How do you think I manifest it all?”
Kelce, a devoted Swiftie who wanted to meet the singer during her July show at Arrowhead Stadium, also said he continues to be impressed by the artist and her song-writing skills. One of his personal favorite lyrics: “I could make a bad guy good for the weekend” from Swift’s 2014 hit “Blank Space.”
“That’s a helluva line!” he said.
He continued: “I’ve never been a man of words. Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f— mind-blowing. I’m learning every day.”