In the summer of 2023, the entertainment world was undeniably busy. The “Barbenheimer” craze was tearing through the internet and social media, for a time largely overshadowing the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes hampering the film industry’s future output. However, arguably the most iconic and influential cultural phenomenon of summer 2023 was Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the highest grossing tour ever. While no prior tour by a musical artist had gained even $1 billion in revenue, Swift’s Eras Tour absolutely smashed the record previously held by Elton John, earning approximately $2 BILLION in revenue. Getting in on the summer’s Taylor Swift craze was the New Heights Podcast, a sports podcast hosted by brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, two elite NFL players with electric personalities. During an episode aired on July 26th, the brothers were discussing Travis’s recent attendance at a Kansas City show from the Eras tour when the Chiefs tight end alluded to wanting to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet with his “number” on it. When his brother asked whether he was referring to his playing number (87) or his phone number, Travis chuckled and slyly responded, “you know which one,” clearly alluding to his phone number. However, with the idea of Travis sharing his number with Swift not being mentioned for several episodes following, for most listeners it seemed fair to assume the line was nothing more than a silly one-off for the podcast.

However… that assumption was far from correct. Just three weeks later, the internet began buzzing over reports that Travis had extended an invitation to Swift to the Chiefs’ home game vs the Chicago Bears on September 24th. This invitation seemed to be successful, as Taylor Swift’s first NFL appearance came with a haul of broadcast coverage and an even bigger haul of fan attention. Some watchers were exhilarated to see the pop sensation on their screens, while others were miffed that their coverage of the 41-10 smackdown of the Chicago Bears was being constantly interrupted to see Taylor’s reaction. However, no matter if you hated or enjoyed her presence, it was undeniable that Taylor attending the game was the start of something new.

And something new it truly was. Over the course of the next few months, Swift attended several more Chiefs games, including the second consecutive Chiefs’ Super Bowl win, after which a now famous picture of the two sharing a kiss spread across the internet. The appearances continued in the following season, with the superstar tight end and legendary music artist becoming the media’s favorite new celebrity couple. Of course, the couple broke the internet to the highest extent on August 26th, when Taylor Swift’s Instagram account made a post captioned “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married” featuring a multitude of engagement photos from a flowery Missouri garden. The internet’s favorite couple finally made it official – they were engaged.

With the wedding likely occurring at some point during the upcoming NFL offseason, it’s important to see the impact the influential relationship has made. The relationship caused a massive spike in NFL viewership among female audiences. Per IDX Incorporated, the NFL’s viewership experienced a 53% spike among teenage girls, a 24% increase among women aged 18-24, and a 34% rise among women aged 35 and above. The relationship has made a traditionally masculine sport far more accessible to women, and has massively expanded the overall NFL audience. Taylor Swift has also become a highly recognizable face across the NFL, and is already considered one of the most likely artists to perform at the Super Bowl in 2026 and beyond. The future is bright for the NFL’s favorite couple, and it seems like Taylor has finally found the grand conclusion of her troubled relationship history.