Travis Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce had some light-hearted fun with Taylor Swift’s supposed “voodoo” influence during the latest episode of their podcast, “New Heights,” released on Wednesday. The two NFL stars, who host the popular show together, often engage in banter that blends sports talk with glimpses into their personal lives, and this episode was no exception.
The conversation took an amusing turn when the brothers discussed their favorite sports movies. Jason, 36, mentioned that his all-time favorite was “Space Jam,” while his younger brother Travis, 35, declared his love for movies centered around Major League Baseball.
“‘Rookie of the Year,’ ‘Angels in the Outfield’ — I’d love to f—king feel what it’s like,” Travis, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, shared enthusiastically.
At this point, Jason jumped back in, drawing an unexpected parallel. “I feel like you guys are the ‘Angels in the Outfield,’” Jason said, referring to Travis and perhaps hinting at the lucky influence that might have helped the Chiefs’ successful season so far. Jason continued, “There’s some unknown like …” before trailing off with a laugh.
Travis, sensing where his brother was going, rolled his eyes and played along. “Here he goes with this Tayvoodoo s—t,” Travis said with a chuckle, visibly amused but exasperated. “This dude is such a d—khead,” he added, clearly enjoying the sibling teasing.
The playful exchange ended with Jason settling on “Little Giants” as another favorite sports movie, moving the conversation away from Taylor Swift’s supposed magical influence.
For those unfamiliar, “Angels in the Outfield” is a beloved 1994 film that follows a young foster kid who dreams of seeing his favorite team, the Anaheim Angels, reach the World Series despite their abysmal record.
The boy asks for divine intervention, and his wish is answered when a real angel arrives to help the hapless team turn their luck around. The reference from Jason Kelce was likely meant to draw parallels to the idea of some “higher power” being at work in Travis’s favor — or in this case, Taylor Swift’s “Tayvoodoo.”
Since going public with her relationship with Travis Kelce in September 2023, Taylor Swift has become a staple at many NFL games, supporting her boyfriend from the stands.
Her frequent presence at the Kansas City Chiefs games has delighted fans and the media alike, but not everyone is thrilled with the added attention on Swift. Some NFL fans have voiced frustration with the seemingly endless coverage of Swift during broadcasts.
However, it seems that Swift’s appearance at Chiefs games has coincided with the team’s success. In fact, many fans — especially Swift’s devoted fanbase, the “Swifties” — have jokingly credited her presence with the Chiefs’ winning streak, dubbing it “Tayvoodoo.”
The Chiefs have won every single game that Swift has attended so far, leading to an outpouring of amusing theories on social media about her influence.
On Friday, when the Kansas City Chiefs played against the Las Vegas Raiders, they faced an initial setback but managed to make a dramatic comeback, winning the game 19-17. Following the victory, fans were quick to attribute the success to “Tayvoodoo.”
Many fans took to social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts. “Week 13 of the season, tayprincess in attendance, the flag thrown at the 13th second mark…. tayvoodoo doing its thing again,” one user wrote, pointing out what they perceived as signs of Taylor Swift’s influence.
Another fan shared a video clip of Swift pointing from the stands and labeled it “tayvoodoo.” A third fan posted a picture of Swift at the game, humorously stating, “This was the exact moment tayvoodoo was enacted.”
The idea of “Tayvoodoo” isn’t entirely new. Fans have noticed a pattern for years — those who cross Taylor Swift or wrong her in some way often seem to face setbacks or public backlash. High-profile examples include Kanye West, Scooter Braun, Kim Kardashian, and more recently, Matty Healy.
The internet has been quick to connect the dots, playfully attributing these individuals’ public woes to what they call “Tayvoodoo.”
In the midst of the “Tayvoodoo” buzz, Taylor Swift has continued to make headlines for her professional achievements.
On Wednesday, she was named Spotify’s most-streamed artist of 2024, making it her second year in a row to achieve this honor. “That’s right, it’s Taylor Swift!” said Sulinna Ong, Spotify’s global head of editorial, during a virtual press briefing. “With more than 26.6 billion streams globally this year, Taylor is our Global Top Artist for the second year in a row.”
Swift’s success extended beyond streaming platforms. Her most recent album, “The Tortured Poets Department” (TTPD), shattered records, becoming Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day upon its release earlier this year. In addition, Swift became the most-streamed artist in a single day in Spotify’s history thanks to the album’s immense popularity.
Financially, the past year has also been monumental for Swift. In April, she reached billionaire status according to Forbes, thanks to her highly successful Eras Tour and other ventures.
The tour, which spanned multiple continents, became the highest-grossing tour by any musician in history, further solidifying Swift’s place as a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. By October, she was named the world’s richest female musician.
Despite all of her success, Swift has made time to support her boyfriend, and her appearances at Chiefs games have undoubtedly added a new layer of excitement and media buzz to the NFL season.
The playful discussion between Travis and Jason Kelce about “Tayvoodoo” perfectly captured the lighthearted speculation that has accompanied Swift’s involvement in the football world, highlighting the fun intersection of sports and pop culture that has made this season unlike any other.
