Travis Kelce answers questions about Taylor Swift and the paparazzi – Billboard

Travis Kelce has long prided himself on his ability to keep his personal and professional lives separate. This ability has been put to the test in the past few weeks.

Since the All-Pro tight end’s budding relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift surfaced shortly before the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the Chicago Bears last month, Kelce has become a major headliner in his own right. He learned the news when paparazzi canvassed Swift’s New York apartment last week, capturing him leaving the house the morning of the Chiefs’ game against the Jets while other photographers toured his own Kansas-area home. -City.

“We’re learning along with the paparazzi taking pictures from everywhere,” Kelsey admitted during a press conference on Friday (October 6), “but at the same time, you know, it comes with it. A lot of people care about Taylor, and for good reason. You just have to keep living, learning and enjoying the moments.”

Neither party has released details about their rumored relationship, and Kelsey didn’t go into detail on Friday when he spoke to the media for the first time in weeks. But given that Swift appeared in the suite twice to watch Kelsey play, including alongside his mother Donna Kelsey, it’s easy to see why the duo received such close attention.

The timing could not have been better for any of them.

Kelce turned 34 on Thursday and is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and raising his profile will undoubtedly help his post-football career. His podcast with brother and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce called New Heightspopularity has skyrocketed, and Kelsey’s mustachioed mug is suddenly appearing in ads and commercials for everything from State Farm and Hy-Vee to Pfizer and Experian.

Swift is taking a break from her Era Tour, but the film is set to open in at least 8,500 theaters in 100 countries next week. Suburban Kansas City-based movie theater chain AMC Entertainment Holdings said it sold more than $100 million in advance tickets and had the highest single-day ticket revenue in its history.

Meanwhile, the NFL and its broadcast partners are looking to capitalize on the pop culture moment.

Asked if Kelsey was surprised by the sudden interest in him and his relationship with Swift, he replied: “It’s all over the world, man, all over the world. It’s certainly been increased.”

All the while, Kelce was trying to help the Chiefs defend their Super Bowl title. They’ve won three straight after losing their opener to Detroit and have a chance to head to Minnesota on Sunday. (No word on whether Swift will be waiting.)

“I felt like I was on top of the world after the Super Bowl, and now I’m even more on top of the world,” Kelce said after Friday afternoon practice. “At the end of the day, I’ve always been pretty good at compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building, so I’ll just keep working with it.”

Indeed, Kelsey has always led a life away from football.

In 2016, he starred in his own reality dating show, coincidentally called Capturing Kelsey. He introduced many products and services. And he has played in many high-profile golf tournaments, such as a made-for-TV match alongside Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes against NBA players Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry just before the start of this season.

However, none of this affected his performance. Kelce hadn’t missed a game due to injury since his rookie season before a hyperextended knee kept him from playing against the Lions; he has played in every game since then. And he has gained at least 1,000 yards in seven straight seasons, resulting in eight Pro Bowl selections and four first-team All-Pro selections.

His success is a big reason for the Chiefs’ success. They have won the last seven AFC West titles, made the last five conference championship games and won two of the three Super Bowls they have appeared in over the last four seasons.

However, Kelsey’s profile has never been higher, thanks to the aura Swift has cast over him.

“I know I’m to blame for this,” he said. “I was lucky enough to enjoy it. That’s all that really matters so it doesn’t piss anyone off (at least among the Chiefs). Like I said before, I’m pretty good at separating teams and making sure my goal is focused on winning the game, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”