While Travis Kelce might joke that Taylor Swift “manifested” their relationship, the truth is it took a little help from several corners to bring them together. The Chiefs’ tight end first gave Tay-Tay a playful shoutout on his podcast, inviting her to Arrowhead to watch him light up the field. But he had never actually seen her perform—at least until Patrick Mahomes invited him to his suite.
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That gesture, in its own way, helped set things in motion. Now, there’s a new name to add to the list of matchmakers: Andy Reid.
According to the four-time Super Bowl–winning coach, his role might have been the most important of all. When Swift was considering whether to go on a date with Kelce, she quietly asked around about him. To her surprise, plenty of people vouched for the Chiefs star, not just as a player, but as a genuinely good person. One of those glowing endorsements came from Big Red himself.
As for how he got the message to her? Reid already had a direct line; he’s been friends with Taylor’s father, Scott Swift, for years.
But is this just a fun story, or is there real truth to it?
On a recent episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Jason Kelce put the question directly to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, asking about Andy Reid’s role in their relationship. The couple didn’t hesitate to give Big Red his flowers, with Travis even calling him “Cupid.”
Taylor confirmed that her father, Scott Swift, and Reid have been friends for years, and that the Chiefs’ head coach has attended several of her shows. But before all this, the 14-time Grammy winner only knew him as “Dad’s friend who works in sports.”
“Whatever Andy Reid says, we’re going to stand by. He says it, that’s what happened. He has been friends with my dad. He knows Andy. Andy’s been coming to shows for years. I’ve always had like really positive vibe about Andy Reid but I didn’t really know what sports he was doing. But I know that was my dad’s friend Andy Reid.”
From there, the conversation turned into a lovefest for Reid’s leadership style. Taylor praised his ability to motivate players and get his message across without ever resorting to aggression, describing him as composed, focused, and deeply respectful in his approach.
“His leadership style is so I respect it so much because I feel like it’s done without aggression, raising your voice, or losing your composure. It’s all very composed and focused. It’s not overdone. Like, if you get it from him, you know you deserve it. There is a lot of heart.”
Travis agreed, but added another layer: Reid can be tough when needed, especially if a player keeps making the same mistake. He doesn’t do it to tear anyone down; he does it because he believes in that player’s potential and expects them to meet the high standard he knows they’re capable of.
“He will rip you apart for sure. You’ve got to be really like a front when the plays are called. There is such a genuine want to get better, like him getting you like to do it the right way is like a disciplinary thing. He wouldn’t be doing it unless he saw greatness in you or saw your ability to get it right. There is a layer of trust, and there’s a layer of discipline. You are going to have fun playing for him but you’re gonna know when got to flip that switch and do it his way.”
According to Kelce, discipline is something Reid values immensely, and he works to instill that pride in doing things the right way in everyone he coaches.
Jason backed them both up, summing up Reid’s personality as a mix of stoicism, fun, and seriousness that emerges exactly when the moment calls for it. Everything Reid does has a purpose, and that is what makes him a truly great leader.
