Even in his wildest dreams, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could not have hoped for such a gift. The images showing Taylor Swift in Travis Kelce’s dressing room, alongside Donna, the latter’s mother, went viral, instantly. The league will have to take advantage of this union between one of the best players in the NFL and the most popular artist in the world.
A week ago, in the third quarter of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears, Patrick Mahomes found his tight end in an empty space in the opposing end zone. With the conversion, the score was increased to 41-0 in favor of the locals.
Among the 76,416 spectators present at Arrowhead Stadium, one fan was particularly delighted to see her man dancing in the end zone like at one of her concerts. Taylor Swift, the queen of an entire generation, celebrated like she had just won a 13th Grammy award.
Because it’s true, the hundreds of millions of prophets willing to sell a kidney, or even more, to attend one of the 33-year-old star’s concerts have approved of this new relationship between Swift and a prince with a heart too often broken. After all, Kelce had been disappointed not to be able to meet his possible flame this summer, as he had expressed in his podcast show, just before August. Like a premonition.
No photos of number 87 were burned. On the contrary. This alliance has considerably replenished the coffers of the Chiefs and the NFL. Because the magnetic field around this new bond is just too strong to resist.
In the days since his first public appearance, sales of jerseys in Kelce’s name increased 400 percent, he gained nearly 400,000 followers on Instagram, his podcast show New Heights soared to the top of the charts, the game between the Chiefs and Bears was seen by 24.3 million people, with a 63% increase in female viewership between the ages of 18 and 49, and the Chiefs have never sold more tickets in a single day.
After taking America’s biggest stadiums by storm, Swifties are now in love with soccer, like Taylor was with Jake Gyllenhaal at 21. But this time, she is wearing a red swimsuit instead of a scarf. And the NFL will remember it for a long time if it ends up lasting.
For example, we can bet on the fact that the couple will separate before 2024. Or that she will release a song in which she talks about Kelce in the past tense before the end of next year.
But since Swift and Kelce seem to share good karma, some bets are more optimistic. Notably the one where she will attend a match, sitting next to Brittany Mahomes, Patrick’s wife. Or even that she appears in a Tiktok video of Jackson Mahomes, the other’s brother, who has become a social media star.
There are many detractors. It must be tiring to always play the antihero, right? At the same time, Swift doesn’t do anything like everyone else, neither does Kelce, for that matter. Even though he was in exile in the season opener, the 33-year-old has already scored two touchdowns, made 11 catches and racked up 95 yards.
The Chiefs won’t be welcome in New York this week. Zach Wilson and the Jets are not out of the woods. The Chiefs players could play without sports shoes and still win this duel.
Right now, Andy Reid’s team is number one in the American West and it will be easier than expected at the start of the season to stay there. This team plays with style and confidence. And there is nothing better to avenge their defeat at the start of the season against the Detroit Lions than to play like this. This leg was just a mistake, and with all the American teams that are collapsing, like the Jets, the Chargers, the Bengals and the Jaguars, the Chiefs will undoubtedly still be the favorites in December.
For now, Swift and Kelce seem to be living a fairy tale. He still hasn’t put a paper ring on her finger, but if this union lasts, the NFL will be the winner. The more we see of Swift this fall in a football stadium, wearing a cardigan, who knows, the more profit the league will reap.
Quite simply because the blonde singer will never go out of style. She’s in the midst of a tour that has generated more than $2.2 billion for the U.S. economy. This is unheard of. Neither Michael Jackson nor Harry Styles had such an impact. At his shows, there are as many people outside the stadiums as inside, hoping to hear, thanks to the echo, one of the 44 pieces of the Eras Tour.
Thirty-one million people signed up in hopes of getting a ticket to one of his six shows in Toronto a year from now. Canada has 40 million inhabitants.
These two giants are creating something like America’s greatest dynasty. Because together, they are irresistible. They are creating their own folklore. Or even better, a new reputation.
No more tortured artists for Swift. No more immature follies for Kelce. It’s midnight, and a new era begins.