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Donna Kelce and Taylor Swift: Cheers for the Kansas City Chiefs

Photo: Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

The rumor mill has been bubbling for some time: Are pop star Taylor Swift and football player Travis Michael Kelce a couple? Since the weekend, the clues have been increasing: The singer attended a game of the 33-year-old and his Kansas City Chiefs – side by side with his mother Donna Kelce. Again and again, the pop star was captured by the cameras.

And even though Swift still hasn't made any public statements, it's safe to assume that she's well aware of the impact of the photos – especially since she and the professional athlete are said to have been spotted together leaving Arrowhead Stadium after the game.

NFL jumps on Swift hype

The starting point was the talk of a flirtation between the two and Kelce herself: In his podcast "New Heights" in July, he said that he had unsuccessfully tried to get to know the singer at a Swift concert: "I was disappointed that she didn't talk before or after her performances because she didn't use her voice for the 44 songs, which she sings, must be spared.« Nor did he get around to handing her a bracelet that he had made for her.

Last week, he spoke again on the "Pat McAfee Show" – but without saying clearly whether the two had already met in real life: He told her: "I saw you rock the stage at the Arrowhead. Now you might have to come and see how I rock Arrowhead." An invitation that the singer accepted.

Is the whole thing an actual love affair or just a skilful PR move? Only the two of them know that: The NFL is apparently at least trying to profit from the Swift hype – and not only captures Swift several times with the stadium cameras, but also publishes footage on her TikTok channel: "Taylor Swift is in the house with Mama Kelce."

Swift as a lucky charm?

Kelce's teammates' visit is also apparently an issue: Kelce told him "at the last minute" that Swift would be coming to the game, said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Some of the things Trav says you don't know if they're true or not, that's how calmly he says them."

"I'm not a big Swifty fan," Trey Smith said. "But maybe it's a good luck charm. Why not?" He may have been right: At least the Kansas City Chiefs won 41-10 against the Chicago Bears.

bbr/AP