Travis Kelce calls Taylor Swift an athlete, says he’s the ‘plus-1’ in their relationship

The NFL star is sharing new details of his relationship with Swift.

Travis Kelce opened up about his relationship with Taylor Swift this week in a new interview published the same day Swift announced her 12th studio album was on the way.

Kelce praised Swift’s athleticism, work ethic and kindness in an interview with GQ, telling the outlet he is having fun being the “plus one” in his relationship with the music superstar.

“I get to be the plus one,” Kelce said. “I get to go and be that fan. Because I am a fan. I’m a fan of music. I’m a fan of art. And it’s so cool that I get to experience her being that plus one for me on the football field…. I feel that same enjoyment every time she comes to my shows.”

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is believed to have begun dating Swift in 2023, the year that he spoke publicly about wanting to give Swift a friendship bracelet at her Eras Tour concert with his number on it.

Following Kelce’s comments, Swift attended a Chiefs game with Kelce’s mom at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium in September 2023.

Since then, the “Shake It Off” singer has been a common presence at Kelce’s football games, while Kelce was a regular presence on Swift’s Eras Tour last year.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attend Game Four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, June 12, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Kelce told GQ that he has helped turn Swift into a “football fan,” while she has taught him about performing in front of thousands of people.

“She is the most engulfed fan now,” Kelce said of Swift, who since dating Kelce has watched the Chiefs compete in back-to-back Super Bowls. “She knows what the injury reports look like. She understands what special situations are, third and short, all these things, because she just naturally loves to hear about my job.”

When it comes to watching Swift perform at sold-out stadiums around the world, Kelce said he learned from her “calm and coolness.”

“People gravitate towards how she performs and how she makes it feel like the entire stadium is in this little room with her,” he said. “She is so good at mesmerizing everybody and making everybody feel like it’s an intimate situation.”

Kelce added, “Whenever I get in front of a crowd, I feel like I’ve got to be, like, ‘Woooo!’ Like, excited, bringing the energy. Then I saw that coolness and that calmness and that relatability that she is so good at presenting. I really grabbed that. Like, ‘Man, I can use that side of entertainment as well.’ It’s not just always being the guy that brings the energy and creates these exciting moments.”

As Kelce enters his 13th season in the NFL, the 35-year-old said Swift is his first partner who fully understands the rigors of his career because of her own.

“I hadn’t experienced somebody in the same shoes as me, having a partner who understands the scrutiny, understands the ups and downs of being in front of millions,” he said. “That was very relatable, seeing how exhausted she would get after shows. She may not think of herself as an athlete. She will never tell anyone that she is an athlete. But I’ve seen what she goes through. I’ve seen the amount of work that she puts on her body, and it’s mind-blowing.”

Taylor Swift appears on “New Heights” alongside Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce in the podcast’s Aug. 13, 2025, episode.
@newheightshow/Instagram

Swift is expected to share more details of her next feat — her 12th studio album “The Life of a Showgirl” — when she makes her first-ever appearance Wednesday on “New Heights,” the podcast Kelce hosts with his brother Jason Kelce.

The brothers and their parents Donna Kelce and Ed Kelce are known to be a tight-knit family, and Travis Kelce did not hesitate in sharing with GQ the similarities he sees between Swift and his mom.

“Their kindness, their genuineness, their ability to say hello to everyone in the room,” he said. “Their ability to show love and support no matter what. And on top of that, their work ethic.”

Of his mom, who worked at a bank in Cleveland, Ohio, Kelce added, “I saw my mother reach goals that she had set for herself, go from being a teller to working all the way up in the KeyBank building. I’ve seen Taylor do the exact same thing of setting goals for herself and exceeding the expectations and really captivating the world in that regard.”