Travis Kelce Responds to Taylor Swift Jokes From NFL Commentators

Travis Kelce is taking in stride the playful jabs from NFL commentators regarding his admiration for Taylor Swift, demonstrating a knack for "shaking it off."

During his comeback game for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Jacksonville Jaguars, several sports media figures couldn't resist weaving Swift-themed puns into their commentary. When Kelce scored his first touchdown of the season courtesy of a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, announcer Ian Eagle cleverly quipped, "Kelce finds a 'blank space' for the score!"

Before the game, the NFL Network's Rich Eisen playfully peppered his commentary with Swift references as Kelce geared up for his return to the field. Eisen teased, "You saw it on Thursday night, when Travis Kelce wasn't in there, it left a 'blank space.' But I think he returns today and proves to be the 'anti-hero.' Never goes out of 'style.'" Eisen even incorporated nods to the end of "August" and Kelce's week 1 injury, a bone bruise, being "delicate," drawing a chuckle from Kelce himself.

Despite rumors of a romantic connection between the 33-year-old Chiefs tight end and the 33-year-old "Anti-Hero" singer, a source clarified to ET that they are not dating. Both Swift and Kelce's representatives have been contacted for comments by ET.

In the midst of all this, an insider revealed, "Travis has been a fan of Taylor for some time and certainly has a crush on her. He's a down-to-earth guy, known for his humor, charisma, laid-back nature, and passion for football."

Kelce had previously shared on his podcast, New Heights, in July, how he tried to make a connection with Swift during her Eras Tour stop at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium. He expressed his disappointment, saying, "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." Kelce also recounted his attempt to give Swift a bracelet he made for her, which was met with an unfortunate twist. He explained the phenomenon of fans exchanging friendship bracelets at Swift's shows to his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, saying, "I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it." However, Swift's no-meet policy left Kelce feeling a bit disheartened as he concluded, "She doesn't meet anybody, or at least she didn't want to meet me, so I took it personally."