KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Moments before the news raced across social media that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift had become engaged, Chiefs coach Andy Reid had stepped to a podium to talk about the coming season, which begins for them next weekend in Brazil.
Good-natured defensive end Mike Danna followed him. And by that point, everything in Kansas City had changed.
Kelce and Swift had made their announcement on Instagram.
“I just got told 30 seconds ago,” Danna said with a smile, when by sheer fortune — or perhaps misfortune — the timing of the news made him the only member of the franchise available to speak about the pending nuptials. “I’m so happy for them — Trav, Taylor, that’s a wonderful time in their life. A wonderful part of their journey. That’s a wonderful thing to see.”
Asked whether he had an engagement gift in mind, Danna pondered the homemade pop-tarts that Swift occasionally makes for the team — the ones he called “dangerous” for Kelce and the big guys along the offensive and defensive lines.
“I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said, laughing. “Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”
It’s unclear when and where the Chiefs tight end and one of the world’s most famous musicians got engaged. Representatives for Swift and Kelce did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment on that detail, though Swift publicist Tree Paine confirmed the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut diamond from Kindred Lubeck.
The Chiefs do not anticipate making Kelce available to reporters until next week in Brazil, where the reigning AFC champions are set to open the season against the rival Los Angeles Chargers on Friday night in Sao Paulo.
“Today is a fairytale,” the Chiefs posted on social media around the end of practice. “Congrats to Travis and Taylor — we’re excited to have you as a permanent member of the Chiefs Kingdom family!”
Kelce certainly looked as though nothing in his world had changed Tuesday as he went through pre-practice stretching alongside his close friend, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He chatted up a couple of trainers and then went about his business.
Then again, Kelce always has been able to compartmentalize his busy life.
Even as he was helping the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl last season, the soon-to-be 36-year-old Kelce was juggling myriad obligations. There’s his record-setting and award-winning “New Heights” podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and his hosting duties on a range of television shows. He even has dipped his toe into the world of acting, making his debut in the series “The Grotesquerie” and appearing in the film “Happy Gilmore 2.”
And of course, his relationship with Swift, which began about two years ago, when Kelce had failed to deliver her a friendship bracelet at a concert and invited her to watch him perform at Arrowhead Stadium instead.
She ultimately took him up on the offer. And their love story was underway.
Given everything happening in his personal life, some wondered whether Kelce might call it quits after last season, especially the way the Chiefs were dominated in a 40-22 loss to the Eagles in the Super Bowl. But if anything, the lopsided defeat only inspired him, and Kelce spent the offseason getting in better shape for another shot at a fourth championship ring.
“You know,” Kelce said during training camp, when asked to ponder his return to the field, “football is the biggest driving force I have ever had. I love coming out here and focusing on this and trying to get better for another run.”
Kelce appeared in 16 regular-season games last season, sitting out only a meaningless regular-season finale, and had 93 catches for 823 yards and three scores. He has 1,004 catches for 12,151 yards and 77 touchdowns in his 12-year career.
“Every year he just gets wiser and wiser,” fellow Chiefs tight end Noah Gray said. “Watching him and his practice habits and the way he works always rubs off on us. When you’ve a leader like that, that continues to lead the room, continues to lead the team, it rubs off on everybody else and it makes a huge difference.”
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