Taylor Swift in attendance for Chiefs' season opener vs. Ravens
A familiar face has returned to Arrowhead Stadium as the Kansas City Chiefs open the 2024 NFL season on Thursday and hang their third title banner since 2020 — Taylor Swift.
Swift, of course, began dating Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce in 2023, attending 13 of Kansas City's games. She was at all four playoff games, which included two road matchups and Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
Ahead of Thursday's game, Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt told the "Today Show" that he wasn't sure yet if Swift would attend the matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
"It's always a little bit of a surprise, but I'm sure the TV cameras will find her," Clark said.
Swift's attendance at Chiefs games was one of the top NFL storylines in 2023. She was frequently shown throughout the 13 games she attended, and it's been estimated that her presence significantly increased the NFL's popularity among younger fans.
There were some internet rumors on Wednesday, however, suggesting that Swift and Kelce might be nearing a breakup. An image of a public relations contract titled, "Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce's Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift," was leaked. However, a representative from Kelce's public relations team, Full Scope, told People that the documents were "entirely false and fabricated."
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The breakup rumor was a bit of a surprise considering that just last week Patrick Mahomes said that the hit singer-songwriter was drawing up plays for the Chiefs. The QB even hinted that one of them could be used in the 2024 season.
Kelce has also seen Swift's play designs — and he seems to be the beneficiary of most of them.
"She had just been so open to learning the game; she didn't know much about the rules or anything. … I think she was just curious about the profession," Kelce told the "Rich Eisen Show" on Tuesday. "I know none of the plays have gotten to Coach [Andy] Reid yet, but if they ever do, I'll make sure everyone knows it was her creation.
"She's a little biased and just creates plays for me. We'll see if they can make it to Coach Reid's office."
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As for Kelce, he attended multiple Swift concerts on her "Eras Tour" over the offseason. The tour wrapped up its European leg in August.
While Swift is stateside and reportedly expected to be in attendance for Thursday's game, don't expect her to perform. Grammy Award winner Coco Jones will sing the national anthem and fellow Grammy winner Tasha Cobbs Leonard will perform "Lift Every Voice."
The Chiefs will also unveil their Super Bowl banner during Thursday's pregame festivities.
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