KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.
Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch, wearing a denim crop top and shorts along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.
Taylor Swift is seen in a suite before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Taylor Swift is seen in a suite before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce smiles on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Chicago Bears Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Taylor Swift shows up at Arrowhead Stadium to watch Travis Kelce, Chiefs face Ravens in NFL opener
Taylor Swift shows up at Arrowhead Stadium to watch Travis Kelce, Chiefs face Ravens in NFL opener
Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began her high-profile romance with Kelce, a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for a September matchup with the Bears.
They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph by locking lips with Kelce on the field.
Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.
During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a social media post she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”
Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.
Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.
Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, recently struck a deal reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery service. He also is due to appear in Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery “Grotesquerie” on FX debuting Sept. 25, and he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity” on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.
Then there’s the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.
Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across a parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.
“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life.”
Not everything was smooth for Swift and Kelce during the offseason.
Last month, Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency’s deputy director, David Cohen, said “they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”
Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online calling into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.
It surfaced about the same time that Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,” where he discussed their relationship.
“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”
Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile: “She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”
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Taylor Swift is seen in a suite during the first half of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Taylor Swift is seen in a suite before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Taylor Swift is seen in a suite before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce smiles on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Chicago Bears Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Taylor Swift shows up at Arrowhead Stadium to watch Travis Kelce, Chiefs face Ravens in NFL opener
Taylor Swift shows up at Arrowhead Stadium to watch Travis Kelce, Chiefs face Ravens in NFL opener
ATLANTA (AP) — Haynes King threw a go-ahead 4-yard scoring pass to Jamal Haynes early in the fourth quarter and Georgia Tech overcame two touchdown passes by Maalik Murphy to beat Duke 24-14 on Saturday night, handing the Blue Devils their first loss.
Sahmir Hagans gave Duke a 14-10 lead on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Murphy late in the third quarter.
Haynes, who ran for 128 yards on 19 carries, capped a 14-play drive which covered 85 yards by catching the soft pass in the right side of the end zone for a 17-14 lead. King padded the lead with a 9-yard scoring pass to Eric Singleton Jr. with 6:36 remaining.
Georgia Tech (4-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) dominated the first half and then recovered after blowing a 10-0 lead.
Duke (5-1, 1-1) failed to extend its best start to a season since winning its first seven games in 1994.
King was busy as a runner and passer, often taking off on keepers. He had 12 carries for 30 yards while completing 23 of 31 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Backup quarterback Zach Pyron added a 2-yard scoring run to cap the Yellow Jackets' opening drive.
Murphy passed for more than 200 yards for the sixth consecutive game, completing 18 of 31 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Ahmari Harvey ended Duke's last possession with an interception with 11 seconds remaining.
Duke's Todd Pelino was wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt with 3:58 remaining.
Georgia Tech took a 108-10 advantage in total yards in the first quarter and led 10-0 before a pass interference call on Syeed Gibbs against Hagans. Hagans appeared to trip on the play before Gibbs intercepted the ball before the apparent turnover was wiped out by the penalty.
On first down from the Georgia Tech 20, Murphy threw a short pass to Eli Pancol, who found open field to the end zone. Georgia Tech fans booed following the penalty and again as teams left the field at halftime.
Duke: Murphy suffered his first loss after posting a 7-0 record, including two wins at Texas before his transfer. Murphy had too little help from the Blue Devils' running game. Star Thomas had 14 carries for only 48 yards. Georgia Tech outrushed Duke 245-74 and claimed a 412-279 advantage in total yards.
Georgia Tech: King's quick and mostly accurate passes were effective when paired with Haynes' strong runs. Jordan van den Berg had a third-down sack of Murphy late in the first half to take the Blue Devils out of field goal position and added another tackle for loss.
Duke: Hosts Florida State on Oct. 18.
Georgia Tech: Visits North Carolina on Oct. 12. The Tar Heels fell to 3-3 and 0-2 in the ACC with a 34-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (11) stiff arms Duke Blue Devils linebacker Cameron Bergeron (4) in the first quarter of a football game, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Zach Pyron (5) celebrates in the end zone after a rushing touchdown in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (2) runs down the sidelines after a punt return in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Malik Rutherford (8) runs the ball after a catch in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) drops back to pass in the first quarter of a football game against the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) drops back to pass in the first quarter of a football game against the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Malik Rutherford (8) breaks a tackle in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (2) stretches out for a pass in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (11) runs the ball in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (11) runs the ball in the first quarter of a football game against the Duke BlueDevils, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)