The budding love story between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift was the unexpected biggest storyline of the NFL season. If you thought it wouldn't also dominate the playoffs, you were so very wrong.
Kelce and Swift weren't just a flash in the pan. The pop superstar turned up to one Chiefs game, then another and another. Kelce flew out for a concert during Kansas City's bye week. She changed the lyrics of a song for him. What was initially accused of being a "PR relationship" is clearly more than that.
So when Kelce caught a touchdown pass against the Bills on Sunday and threw up a heart sign in the direction of the High Mark Stadium luxury boxes, everyone knew who it was meant for.
TRAVIS KELCE TOUCHDOWN! Taylor celebrating! The heart hands 🫶🏽😭 pic.twitter.com/B7rJHF9GsQ
— ✩ CEL ✩ (@moonlithoax) January 22, 2024
— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2024
Then again, maybe Kelce was just giving his love to his brother, Eagles center Jason Kelce. You never know, especially when the older Kelce is so...conspicuous.
Jason Kelce is enjoying himself 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/lm493KErx2
— Thomas Sullivan (@Yfz84) January 22, 2024
Or maybe Kelce was thumbing his nose at Bills fans...
Nah, we know it was for Taylor. And Twitter loved it.
That collective "awwwww" you just heard was Taylor Swift fans reacting to Travis Kelce's heart sign
Did he just heart at Taylor after that touchdown?!?! I’m dying!!! pic.twitter.com/zv15W9mJDB
— Christine 🧷❤️🐓🐑🐶🐱🦆🏳️🌈🌻 (@christine_p_33) January 22, 2024
My wife just let out an incredible scream, got up on the couch, and started jumping up and down after that Kelce TD.
— Nate Bukaty (@nate_bukaty) January 22, 2024
“Umm, what is going on?”
“HE DID THE TAYLOR SWIFT HEART THING! HE DID THE TAYLOR SWIFT HEART THING!”
She’s never been half this excited about a football moment.
Taylor Swift fans when Travis Kelce did the heart thing pic.twitter.com/JzHtM6JzJg
— Paulos (@yosephpaulos) January 22, 2024
Travis Kelce giving heart signs to Taylor Swift in the box is giving this ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/AlQOMnMnct
— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) January 22, 2024
Not me turning on the chiefs game just in time to see Kelce score? and do the HEART to Taylor are you JOKING!! And Jason crushing a beer with his shirt off?! Are you not entertained ? pic.twitter.com/oQRbs2gViq
— Laura Lindsay (@MsLindss) January 22, 2024
TRAVIS DID A HEART FOR TAYLOR pic.twitter.com/ICW9ehiTVZ
— Anthony DiPiero (@AnthonyDiPiero7) January 22, 2024
There's something terribly sweet about the public side of Kelce and Swift's relationship, whether it's watching her run to him backstage after her concert or him sending her a heart after scoring.
Kelce led the Chiefs with three catches for 66 yards in the first half. He also had the only touchdown for KC as they went into the break trailing 17-13.
Kelce is one of the few Chiefs who aren't playing their first road playoff game on Sunday. He was around in the 2015 playoffs when Kansas City went on the road twice to face the Texans and then the Patriots. Since then, they've only played postseason games at Arrowhead Stadium and neutral sites for the Super Bowl.
Even though Kelce isn't in his home stadium, he's got his girl there.