Taylor Swift fans are buzzing with speculation that the pop superstar gave her boyfriend, NFL tight end Travis Kelce, a not-so-subtle shoutout on National Boyfriend Day. The excitement began on Thursday when Swift dropped her new “Greatest in the League” merchandise collection, which many believe is a direct nod to her relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs player.
The new merch collection, inspired by a line from her song “The Alchemy,” rumored to be about her romance with Kelce, features various styles of sweatshirts and sweatpants. The designs showcase Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department” logo and are cast in the album’s sleek color palette of black, white, beige, and gray.
After Taylor Nation, the singer’s official fan platform, announced the collection on social media, fans quickly connected the dots between the merch release and Swift’s relationship with Kelce. Many noticed the timing of the drop on National Boyfriend Day, with Swift’s devoted fan base taking to social media to voice their theories.
“Taylor Swift chose to release ‘The Greatest in the League’ merch collection today, on National Boyfriend Day,” one fan pointed out on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the coincidence. Another added, “Literally only Taylor would release a ‘greatest in the league’ collection on National BF day when her BF’s team is 4-0 currently,” referencing the Chiefs’ undefeated record at the time.
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Fans continued to draw connections between Swift’s clever merch release and her public support for Kelce. One user wrote, “taylor releasing ‘the greatest in the league’ merch on national boyfriend’s day and the weekend of her boyf’s birthday??? oh taycomedian.” Another fan chimed in, “And calling it ‘the greatest in the league collection’ after the ‘he’s washed’ allegations — she’s the funniest person ever.”
The “washed” reference points to criticism Kelce faced after a slow start to the 2024 NFL season. Swift’s timing with the merch drop seems like a playful response to those doubters, making it clear where her loyalty lies.
Beyond the fun fan theories, some believe the new collection could also serve to quiet recent breakup rumors. Speculation about Swift and Kelce’s relationship status surfaced after the singer skipped two of Kelce’s recent games — one in Atlanta and another in Los Angeles. Her absence led some fans to wonder if the two were still together, especially given her enthusiastic appearances at his first two games of the season at Arrowhead Stadium.
However, insiders quickly shut down any talk of trouble between the two. A source told Page Six that Swift’s absence had nothing to do with her relationship with Kelce, explaining that she’s been focused on preparing for the restart of her Eras Tour, which kicks off again on October 18 in Miami. The source added that Swift’s packed schedule has been ramping up in recent weeks as she prepares for the next leg of her international tour.
In addition to her busy schedule, there were also concerns about Swift’s safety at stadiums that aren’t familiar to her team.
Another source revealed that Swift’s team has reservations about her attending games in unfamiliar venues due to increased security concerns, especially after her shows in Vienna were canceled earlier this year due to a terrorist threat.
“If she is going to a place that isn’t Arrowhead, there are security concerns,” the source shared. “She has worked with Arrowhead so many times, they feel at ease and comfortable. Going to all kinds of different stadiums, you need to send a team in advance.”
Despite missing a few games, it seems Swift plans to be back in Missouri soon. Rumors are swirling that the singer will attend Kelce’s 35th birthday celebration this weekend, as well as the Chiefs’ Monday Night Football game. Fans are eagerly waiting to see if Swift will be cheering on her beau in person once again.
For now, the timing of her “Greatest in the League” merch drop and National Boyfriend Day has fans convinced that Taylor Swift is continuing to subtly support Kelce, even from a distance.
Whether on the sidelines or through fashion, Swift knows how to keep her relationship with the NFL star at the center of fan conversations.
