ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said he heard Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce had gotten engaged, days after calling the “Karma” singer “The Mrs.” Here’s what E! News has learned.
Could Travis Kelce already have knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring for Taylor Swift?
Not so fast. Despite recent comments from ESPN’s Troy Aikman, E! News has learned the couple is not engaged.
Days after the football analyst jokingly referred to Taylor as “The Mrs.,” during her appearance at the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the New Orleans Saints Oct. 7, Troy revealed that a little birdie had since told him that the couple had taken their relationship to the next level.
“Someone actually reached out to me today,” Troy said on the Pardon My Take podcast’s Oct. 9 episode, “and said they might actually be engaged, so I might have broke the story.”
And while he didn’t elaborate on who told him about the possible engagement between Taylor, 34, and Travis, 35, he was surprised by all the commotion his nickname for Taylor caused after the fact.
“This morning, I woke up and saw a headline like, ‘Aikman knew he was in trouble’ or something,” he said. “And I was thinking, ‘Gosh, if this is newsworthy,’ like really?”
Pardon My Take hosts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter (real name Eric Sollenberger) were equally surprised by the reaction, and hoped that Troy hadn’t accidentally cursed the Chiefs, who are currently 5-0 a third of the way through the NFL season.
Gotham/GC ImagesLuckily Troy took it all in stride, joking, “I don’t know if I cursed them or not.”
But even after making the comment during the Oct. 7 game, he was quick to tell his cohost Joe Buck, “I’m sure I’m in trouble for saying that.”
Joe himself also knew he needed to be careful, especially because his daughters had warned him earlier in the day, “‘Dad, I know you think you’re funny. Don’t make any jokes.'”
As for Taylor and Travis, while they have been very public with their relationship, neither of them has indicated an engagement is on the horizon. But Travis’ brother Jason Kelce has already noticed one very positive change in his younger sibling since he started dating Taylor last year.
“My girl Tay is getting you opened up,” the 36-year-old said on the Oct. 9 episode of their New Heights podcast. “She’s introducing new foods to you. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve been happy about.”
And while Travis noted that he was “still picky when it comes to what I’ll eat,” he was definitely more open to trying new cuisines, adding, “I’m in on a light curry.”
To see more of how Travis and Taylor’s relationship has unfolded over the past year, keep reading.
July 2023: So, Make the Friendship Bracelets
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s love story began in July 2023, when the singer’s Eras Tour made a stop at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
As a huge Swiftie, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end caught the show with hopes of giving Taylor a friendship bracelet with his number on it. However, he failed to complete the pass due to her pre-show rituals.
“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,” Travis shared on the July 26 episode of his New Heights podcast. “So, I was a little butt-hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
Summer 2023: This Is Him Trying
After publicly recounting his fumble—a move Taylor would later describe as “metal as hell”—Travis decided to shoot his shot and invite the Grammy winner to watch the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court,” he shared on The Pat McAfee Show. “I told her, you know, ‘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.’ So, we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
August 2023: Enchanted to Meet You
Travis was rocking a mustache—which he debuted in August during training camp—when he was first introduced to Taylor.
As he later noted of the era, “That ‘stache and the 87 jersey was pretty iconic there for a little bit, and I had it when I met Taylor for the first time.”
September 2023: Sparks Fly
By early September, a source close to the situation told E! News that Travis and Taylor were “texting and talking here and there.”
“It’s been very low-key,” the insider explained, “as he’s been in season.”
Cooper Neill/Getty ImagesSeptember 2023: Cheer Captain
Accepting Travis’ invite, Taylor joined the athlete’s mom Donna Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium to watch him and the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears. After the game, Taylor and Travis were seen packing PDA at a local bar.
Though folklore had it that it was the couple’s first in-person meeting, the “Karma” singer later clarified the two had spent a “significant amount of time” getting to know each other beforehand.
As Taylor noted, “We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”
Kevin Sabitus/Getty ImagesOctober 2023: Team Up
As an indication that the relationship was heating up, Taylor brought her squad—including friends Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sophie Turner, Hugh Jackman, Sabrina Carpenter and Antoni Porowski—to watch the Chiefs play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
David Eulitt/Getty ImagesOctober 2023: It’s Nice to Have a Friend
Another sign that Travis could be The 1? Taylor started bonding with Brittany Mahomes—the wife of Travis’ BFF and teammate Patrick Mahomes—in and outside of NFL games.
Gotham/GC ImagesOctober 2023: Welcome to New York
The couple took their romance to TV, making a surprise appearance on the Oct. 14 episode of Saturday Night Live. Their Big Apple takeover also included the after-party for the NBC sketch show and a date night at the Waverly Inn.
Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementNovember 2023: Karma Is Her Boyfriend
During a bye week, Travis traveled down to Argentina to catch the South American leg of Taylor’s Eras Tour. Not only did the NFL star bond with Taylor’s dad, Scott Swift, at the Nov. 11 show in Buenos Aires, but he also got a special shoutout from the stage.
“Karma is that guy on the Chiefs,” Taylor sang, “coming straight home to me.”
After the show, the Midnights artist was seen running up to Travis backstage and greeting him with a passionate kiss.
Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementDecember 2024: Speak Now
Taylor addressed the lavender craze surrounding her appearances at Travis’ games.
“I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she told Time. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone.”
Kathryn Riley/Getty ImagesDecember 2023: You, Who Charmed Her Dad
The music superstar turned Travis’ Dec. 17 game into a family affair, bringing her dad to cheer on her man.
Gotham/GC ImagesJanuary 2024: All the Midnights
Taylor and Travis spent their first New Year’s Eve together, sharing a romantic kiss when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1.
Kathryn Riley / Contributor (Getty Images)January 2024: Chosen Family
Continuing to bond with Travis’ family, Taylor hung out with his brother Jason Kelce and sister-in-law Kylie Kelce at the Chiefs’ game against the Buffalo Bills.
January 2024: Saved by the Perfect Kiss
Taylor joined Travis on the football field when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship, a victory that cemented the team’s spot in the 2024 Super Bowl. The couple shared a celebratory kiss before exchanging the L-word.
“Tay, I’m gonna enjoy with the guys,” he told her. “I love you—so much it’s not funny.”
Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesFebruary 2024: Super Bowl Champs
The pair locked lips on the field after Travis led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas.
February 2024: TikTok Official
Taylor posted footage of Travis on social media for the first time Feb. 12, poking fun at how she took her parents clubbing with the athlete after the Super Bowl.
Instagram / Taylor SwiftJune 2024: Instagram Official
Taylor’s first Instagram pic featuring Travis was a selfie of the two with Prince William and his and wife Kate Middleton‘s eldest kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage at the singer’s Eras tour show at Wembley Stadium in London.
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementJune 2024: Travis’ Eras Tour Stage Debut
While attending his seventh Eras tour concert, and second show at London’s Wembley Stadium, the NFL star joined his girlfriend onstage as a backup performer during her performance of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
InstagramSeptember 2024: Back in the Game
Taylor joined Travis for the Chief’s first game of the regular 2024-25 season and appeared to re-enact a PDA moment from October 2023 in this photo shared by Chariah Gordon, who is pictured with her boyfriend, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
September 2024: Wedding Date
The two attended model Karen Elson‘s wedding to Electric Lady Studios owner Lee Foster in New York City.
September 2024: U.S. Open Date
The next day, the pair attended the men’s singles final match at the U.S. Open.
