Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has weighed in on the swirling rumors that he and pop superstar Taylor Swift may be dating, while still playing it close to the vest.
In a new interview on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” released Thursday, Kelce was asked about the dating speculation that erupted after he attended one of Swift’s concerts during her Eras Tour and said he attempted to give her his phone number.
“It’s hilarious how much traction this has actually got,” Kelce said with a chuckle regarding the dating chatter. “This is like the old school game called telephone, where everybody is just whispering in everybody’s ear. No one actually knows what’s going on.”
Kelce also jokingly called out his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, for fueling the rumors by saying it was true the pair were an item during a recent podcast, before later backtracking that he didn’t really know anything about his brother’s love life.
“Please everybody stop asking my brother,” Travis Kelce said lightheartedly.
While not outright confirming or denying the dating speculation, Kelce did reveal a bit more about his interactions with Swift.
“I threw the ball in her court and told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit,'” he recounted. “We’ll see what happens in the near future.”
Kelce was referring to Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs, indicating he invited Swift to attend one of his games in Kansas City.
Rumors around Swift and Kelce first ignited earlier this month when the football star said on the podcast he shares with his brother that he had attempted to give Swift his phone number on a customized bracelet during her show in Kansas City.
“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,” Kelce had said. “So I was a little bit hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
When his brother asked if he meant his jersey number or phone number, Kelce replied slyly, “You know which one.”
Swift has not publicly addressed the dating speculation. The pop superstar recently broke up with actor Joe Alwyn after a six-year relationship.
Kelce, 33, has been linked in the past to various celebrity women including reality star Kendall Jenner and actress Nicole Scherzinger.
As one of the NFL’s biggest stars playing in Swift’s hometown of Nashville, Kelce’s attendance at her concert immediately sent fans into a frenzy speculating about a possible romance.
His coy remarks keeping that speculation alive while not outright confirming anything. It echoes Swift’s own playbook of dropping cryptic hints about her love life through her music and other Easter eggs for fans.
Both Swift and Kelce seem to be reveling in the intrigue around their interactions and potential relationship status. Given their massive fanbases, any confirmation that they are dating would make them one of pop culture’s biggest new power couples.
For now, both stars are clearly having fun toying with the press and public about the possibilities. Kelce has floated the idea of Swift attending one of his games, setting up a scenario where their relationship status could be made clear (or kept ambiguous).
Until then, this media game of telephone will likely continue, with every word parsed for clues on whether Swift and Kelce are headed for a romance made in Nashville and Kansas City sports-pop culture heaven.
