We’re gonna keep things short and sweet here since we know you’re reading this story for one thing and one thing only: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s dating deets.
Luckily, we dusted off our best Sherlock Holmes ’fits and texted our sports-loving situationships (for research purposes only, we promise!) to give you all the intel on how this whole sitch started and where Taylor and Travis stand now. Spoiler alert: They’re engaged (!!!!).
July 2023
Things kick off with Taylor performing at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, and it’s an absolutely flawless show, as per usual. 10/10, no notes!
Later in the month, during an episode of his New Heights podcast (which he cohosts with his brother, Jason Kelce), Travis mentions that he had recently gone to a Taylor concert and written his number on a friendship bracelet to give to her (big, big win for the Swifties), but—alas—he wasn’t able to shoot his shot.
“If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets, and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it,” the Kansas City Chiefs tight end reveals on the show.
“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” he adds, confessing that he was “a little butt-hurt” that he couldn’t chat with her. “She doesn’t meet anybody—or at least she didn’t want to meet me, so I took it personal,” he jokes. In-ter-est-ing!
September 2023
Taylor and Travis are reportedly in the “talking” phase of their ’ship but are still being v ~casual~ (read: not officially dating) about the whole thing given their hectic schedules, per a source who speaks with Entertainment Tonight. Additionally, yet another insider confesses to the outlet that, “Travis has been into Taylor for a while and definitely has a crush on her. He is a simple guy that is very funny, charismatic, chill, and loves playing football.”
Taylor also causes quiiiiite the stir after she’s spotted in New York wearing a necklace with Kelce’s birthstone—an opal—on it. And although the whole thing could totally be chalked up to sheer coincidence, no one loves an Easter egg more than Swifties!
By the end of the month, Taylor attends one of Travis’s game. At Arrowhead. And sits next to his mom!!!!!!
Meanwhile, a source tells People, “Taylor is very focused on work right now and hanging out with her girlfriends. Travis invited her to the game, and of course she said yes. She just thought it was a fantastic way to spend Sunday.”
October 1, 2023
Another Sunday, another Taylor sighting at MetLife Stadium during Travis’s Kansas City Chiefs games—this time against the New York Jets. And not to be dramatic, but a lot goes down. Like, Tay shows up with a star-studded entourage consisting of Blake Lively, Sabrina Carpenter, Ryan Reynolds, Sophie Turner, Antoni Porowski, and Hugh Jackman; is spotted with her arm sweetly wrapped about Travis’s mom, Donna Kelce, in a truly ???? moment; is caught potentially whispering “look at him” (presumably about the footballer) to BFF Blake; and rocks a truly gorgeous pair of denim shorts that we want ASAP.
October 2023
Taylor and Travis have a PDA moment in NYC after they both show up for surprise appearances on SNL!
A source tells People that the pair was “so smiley” and “so happy” at SNL’s after-party, adding, “They were so talkative. They were really fun. They talked to every single person in the room that talked to them. They were super cool. Super nice, super happy.”
Oh, AND a source tells Entertainment Tonight, “At one point, he actually told her security guard that he could step aside, like he’d take it from here.”
Soon after, they go out for yet another date night, looking positively obsessed with each other.
A source tells People that “Taylor is unlike anyone Travis has dated before. It was very unexpected for his friends, but he’s so into her and very, very happy. Some people thought he was just joking around about the bracelet and having a crush on her earlier this summer, but he was serious about it.”
November 2023
Travis touches down in Argentina to visit Taylor while she’s on the international leg of her tour, and they’re spotted grabbing dinner hand-in-hand.
The next day, Travis attends Taylor’s show and SO MUCH HAPPENS. Not only does she change the “Karma” lyrics to “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs…”
Later in the month, during his cover story with WSJ Mag, Travis gushes that he’s “never dated anyone” with an “aura” like Taylor’s. He also reveals that they share similar values and calls her “a genius” who’s “hilarious.”
December 2023
Taylor is named TIME’s Person of the Year, and she opened up about her ’ship with Travis—including when they officially started dating.
“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” she told the outlet. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”
She went on to explain that they have nothing to hide when it comes to their ’ship. “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she said. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”
January 2024
The Chiefs win the AFC Championship game and Taylor is so proud she walks onto the field and kisses Travis:
Meanwhile, sources dish the latest on these two. First, an insider tells People, “It’s obvious, isn’t it? They’re genuinely happy together. She’s there to support him and cheer him on, and she’s fit in seamlessly with everyone he loves.”
Meanwhile, Travis reveals that he’d known Taylor for “close to a month” before she attended her first Chiefs game, explaining, “We had known each other for close to a month up to that point. It wasn’t just an out-of-the-blue ‘Hey, come to the game.’”
He then added, “It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? Hopefully everybody realizes that we’re two people in a relationship supporting each other and having fun with it, man. It’s nothing more than that. As much as the world wants to paint the picture and make us the enemy, we just have fun with it, and we enjoy every single bit of it. And sure enough, I love it when Taylor comes and supports me and enjoys the game with the fam and friends.”
February 2024
The Chiefs win the Super Bowl! Just gonna drop all the important videos here:
March 2024
Travis wears a “T <3 T” friendship bracelet to watch Jason Kelce announce his retirement and dresses in the colors from The Tortured Poets Department.
Later in the month, pics from Taylor and Travis’s vacation in the Bahamas drop!
A source tells Entertainment Tonight, “Taylor and Travis are soaking up their downtime together. They are appreciating the here and now and the love they share with one other. When they’re able to just chill out, they love to hang out with their friends and family, travel, see new things together, and enjoy their privacy. They are grateful to have each other along for the ride and advocate and support each other across the board.”
They add that the couple is “enjoying this moment” and also “looking forward to what the future holds too. They want to continue to grow together and be happy and healthy. Their friends and family are still as supportive as ever.”
April 2024
The masterpiece that is The Tortured Poets Department drops, and a source dishes to Entertainment Tonight that Travis “couldn’t be more supportive and is pumped for Taylor.” “He knows how much this means to her and thinks she’s extremely talented,” the insider adds. “Taylor and Travis admire each other’s creative processes and work ethic. They cheer each other on, respect each other’s opinions, and are open and communicative.”
May 2024
Trav flies to Paris to watch the singer’s fourth and final show (also her 87th!!!) in the city with Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper! Also, a moment for Trav hearing “So High School” live for the first time: