Taylor Swift feared her fame would “scare” Travis Kelce

Over the last 12 months Travis Kelce won a Super Bowl, landed a hosting job on the upcoming Prime Video game show Are you smarter than a star? and became the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. Taylor Swift broke records with her extremely successful Epoch Tourtook home the Grammy Award for Album of the Year (her fourth!) and officially became a registered member of the billionaires club.

The two power men also fell in love with each other spectacularly and publicly. Their story is like something out of a Hollywood romantic comedy: On July 8, 2023, 34-year-old Kelce attended Swift’s show at Arrowhead Stadium in the hope of giving her his phone number.

Two weeks later, on his podcast New Heights, he described his disappointment at not being able to send his number (via a handmade friendship bracelet), telling his brother: Jason Kelce“I was a little pissed.” Swift, also 34, was impressed by Travis’ frank confession – she later called the move “Metal as Hell.”

What followed was a whirlwind romance that involved matchmakers behind the scenes (sports reporter Erin Andrews and Travis’ teammate Patrick Mahomes have both independently taken on the role of Cupid), their headline-grabbing appearances at his games, an epic backstage kiss in Buenos Aires, their letting go in the crowd at Coachella Festival and, more recently, double dates with famous friends like Gigi Hadid And Bradley Cooper.

“This was the best year of their lives,” a source reports exclusively in the latest issue of We weekly“(Between) the Super Bowl and meeting their families and traveling the world together, it’s been quite a journey for Taylor and Travis.”

Hot item

While neither of them is new to the fame game, being one half of the most famous couple in the world has been quite an adjustment for Travis.

“His life has changed significantly with the increased public attention,” a second source says. “Taylor was afraid that bringing Travis into her world would scare him, but he’s embraced it and handled it so well.” (Travis addressed the newfound attention during an October 2023 press conference, saying, “There are a lot of people who care about Taylor, and for good reason.”)

The source says Travis’ behavior caused her to “fall even more in love with him.”

A third source says there were some teething issues for Travis, who moved into a $6 million mansion in Kansas City shortly after the IPO.

Related: Chronology of the relationship between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are the only ones everyone is talking about. Swift and Kelce were first linked in July 2023, when the Kansas City Chiefs tight end said he tried to ask Swift out after she took part in her Eras Tour. “I was a little pissed that I couldn’t give her one of the bracelets that I (…)

“People would come to his house and leave things outside his door,” the source says. “That made him quite uneasy at first. He didn’t feel safe.”

Travis’ close-knit family – including his mother, Donna Kelcehis brother Jason and his sister-in-law Kylie Kelce – helped him stay grounded.

“Travis was a star before Taylor, but this is what made him a household name,” says a fourth source. “He handled it as best he could. He always had good people around him.”

In a groove

They spent months jetting around the globe to see each other during his football season and she Epoch Tour. Travis flew an unforgettable 48 hours to Argentina to attend their concert on November 11th.

“Taylor’s shows are incredible,” he said Us at his Kelce Jam festival on May 18. “If you haven’t been there, you have to check it out.” Swift, on the other hand, had flown in from Japan to arrive in Las Vegas within hours of the Super Bowl.

Things have calmed down a bit since the early, stormy days of their romance. “Taylor and Travis are very confident in their relationship, so they don’t have to go out of their way to see each other for less than a day,” says the first source.

The second source adds: “They are living a relaxed life together. When they are apart, they FaceTime and send sweet texts to each other daily. They are totally in love.”

Despite their hectic schedules, they make it work. “Taylor and Travis both have a lot of work commitments, which gives them the time and space to miss each other,” says the third source. The second source says they also stay in touch with “little gestures and gifts to keep the romance alive.”

An outstanding year

According to sources, Swift has never been happier. “No one has ever made Taylor feel like this,” the third source reveals. “Taylor and Travis bring out the best in each other and build each other up. She is absolutely confident that this is going to last.”

The first source adds: “After a year, there is such an ease between them. It seems like they have been together for a long time because they are so in sync.”

Swift gets a three-month break from her Epoch Tour between August and November. The first source says she plans to stay at Travis’ house in Kansas City while he plays in the NFL season.

“Taylor has had fun decorating his Kansas City home,” the second source says, “and she’s looking forward to the simple pleasures of being together.”

Friends believe Swift and Travis are in it for the long haul, but neither is rushing into anything. “They’re taking things one step at a time,” the second source says, “and enjoying their journey together.”

For more on Travis and Swift’s romance, watch the exclusive video above and the latest issue of We weekly — now at the kiosk.

With reporting by Travis Cronin, Sarah Jones and Andrea Simpson