Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been all fans can talk about lately. The two have been ramping up their public relationship, with Taylor most recently paying several tributes to Travis at her Eras Tour concert in Buenos Aires. From her lyric change in “Karma” to her romantic rendition of “End Game,” she had her guest of honor smiling the whole time. To top it all off, she ran into his arms at the end of the concert for a movie-moment kiss. Fans are eating up the whole thing, but some might wonder why Travis hasn’t had to face the wrath of the ever-critical Swifties. What about him is so special?
The reason fans are so obsessed with Travis Kelce is this: even as one of the NFL’s biggest stars, he manages to let Taylor shine in the spotlight without a hint of resentment or shame. Travis is proud to be with Taylor, and before he was her boyfriend, he was her fan, too. Taylor also reciprocates his support, cheering him on at his games in the signature Kansas City colors. The two have a dynamic as equals, able to celebrate each other’s successes without tearing each other down.
Looking at Taylor’s previous boyfriends, it’s not hard to see how Travis is special. Taylor’s recent ex, Joe Alwyn, went with her to concerts covertly. With a hat pulled over his eyes, it seemed like he was just unable to handle Taylor’s success and fame. Travis, in contrast, genuinely enjoys the attention her music receives. His giddy reaction to seeing her Eras Tour show proved it.
Other boyfriends have been lacking in different ways. No one can forget when Taylor’s relationship with Matty Healy drew criticism after evidence of his racism and sexism resurfaced online. People were furious, and rightfully so. Taylor deserves better than a problematic man who needs his girlfriend to go mend his fences for him (I’m looking at you, Ice Spice feature on “Karma”). Now, Taylor fans have been unearthing Travis’ old Tweets — which usually brings some skeletons out of the closet. To everyone’s pleasant surprise, the Tweets contain nothing more damning than the fact that Travis can’t spell the word “squirrel” and loves taking naps. But we already knew Travis wasn’t famous for his eloquence — Taylor takes care of that for both of them. Their relationship is definitely a classic tale: the jock and the nerd girl.
Not only is Travis Kelce a model of what a supportive boyfriend should be, but he holds other men accountable, too. On a recent podcast with his brother, Jason, Travis challenged stereotypes when he called his brother out for criticizing his wife. Jason had worn shorts to a red carpet, and when asked about it, he blamed his wife, Kylie, for forgetting to bring him a pair of jeans. Travis was quick to challenge the assumption that Kylie was responsible for not only getting all the kids dressed and out the door, but dressing her husband, too. He managed to keep it light while opening up a conversation about the division of household labor and the untold load that women often carry. Even in male-dominated spaces where it can be easy to let things slide, Travis made sure to be the feminist voice in the room.
Travis Kelce is living proof that being supportive and respectful is all you need to be a great boyfriend. He and Taylor look extremely happy together, and fans couldn’t be happier for Taylor. Travis went from making Taylor a friendship bracelet with his number on it and getting snubbed to being the one to kiss her at the end of the show. If one thing is certain, it’s that Karma is working out perfectly for Taylor — and for the guy on the Chiefs.