Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Are Choosing The Simple Things In A Demanding Year Together Time When They Can, Quiet Alone Time When They Need It, And A Steady Rhythm That Keeps Their Love Calm, Private, And Strong Even Under Constant Attention

The Grammy winner and Super Bowl champ first started dating in Sept. 2023 and announced their engagement news on Aug. 26

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce continue to prioritize their relationship and the time they spend together despite packed schedules and a year filled with major milestones.

“Taylor’s had an incredibly full, demanding year and she’s really proud of everything she’s accomplished,” a source tells PEOPLE exclusively. “She’s worked extremely hard and her schedule has been nonstop, but even with everything going on, she and Travis still put a lot into their relationship.”

The Grammy winner and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, both 36, “really support each other’s careers and understand the demands that come with what they each do,” the insider adds. “Whenever they can, they make time to be together and really value that alone time.”

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Travis Kelce/Instagram

The couple first started dating in September 2023 and announced their engagement news in a joint Instagram post on Aug. 26. They have remained largely private while navigating a year marked by Swift’s career highs and Kelce’s commitments with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The “Fortnight” singer’s past year has been particularly full. On Oct. 13, Swift announced plans for a new six-part Disney+ docuseries titled The End of an Era, which chronicled her experience on The Eras Tour.

The first two episodes premiered on Dec. 12, giving fans an inside look at one of the most ambitious touring efforts in music history.

Taylor Swift in Taylor Swift | The End of an Era.

Disney+

The pop icon made history with her 21-month-long global run that sold over $2 billion in tickets — double the sales of any other concert tour in history, The New York Times reported.

The End of an Era debuted on the same day as Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour – The Final Show, a concert film capturing the closing night of The Eras Tour. Her record-breaking tour kicked off in Glendale, Ariz., in March 2023 and the final performance took place more than a year ago, on Dec. 8, 2024, in Vancouver, Canada.

The announcement followed the Oct. 3 release of Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. On the day of its release, the album became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day this year, underscoring Swift’s continued dominance in the music industry.

A source told PEOPLE at the time that while the pop superstar is “thrilled by the response” to her new album and the Official Release Party of a Showgirl theatrical event, she’s also “very excited” to shift her focus to wedding planning once her work commitments die down.

‘The Life of a Showgirl’, Taylor Swift.

Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot

“She put so much work into this album and the film and seeing how fans have embraced both means the world to her. She’s been super focused on work commitments and hasn’t seen Travis much. She’s not kidding when she says she’s exhausted,” the source said. “She’s ready for a professional break so she can focus on the wedding. She’s very excited about planning the wedding.”

Kelce has had a back-to-back schedule this NFL season but looked defeated after the Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Travis Kelce in Kansas City on Dec. 14, 2025.

Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty

The Super Bowl champion hung his head as he walked past reporters and fans on his way to the locker room after the Chiefs lost their must-win game to the Los Angeles Chargers.

In a video shared on X, Kelce was seen walking slowly with his helmet in his hand after the game. At one point, Kelce lightly hit the wall in frustration as he accepted the Chiefs’ fate this season.

Kelce also declined to speak to reporters after the loss, telling them, “It’s not the time.”