Travis Kelce’s parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, have spoken glowingly about future daughter-in-law Taylor Swift since the 14-time Grammy winner began dating their younger son, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in the summer of 2023.
Donna Kelce seemingly gave the couple’s romance her blessing when she sat in the player’s box with Swift at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City when Swift showed up to cheer on her then-rumored beau at her first Chiefs game on Sept. 24, 2023.
Mama Kelce, as fans call her, as well as Ed Kelce, would go on to sit alongside the “Karma” singer at many more Chief games over the next two years.
Now that Travis Kelce, 35, has popped the question to Swift, also 35, let’s take a look back at what his mom and dad have said publicly about his bride-to-be.
October 2023: Donna Kelce Asked About Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Romance During TODAY Visit
Mama Kelce remained almost comically tight-lipped about the status of her son’s relationship with Swift during an Oct. 6, 2023, visit to TODAY.
At the time, the rumored couple had not publicly confirmed they were together.
“It’s fairly new, so I don’t like to talk about it,” said the protective mom, who was spotted hugging and laughing with Swift at a Chiefs game just days before.
“It’s just one of those things where you know, obviously everybody saw me. I was in the boxes with her and it’s just another thing that’s amped up my life,” she added.
When asked if she thought it was a budding romance, she said at the time, “I honestly can’t tell you. It’s just too new.”
When pushed to describe what it was like to sit with Swift in the players box, Mama Kelce would only offer, “It was OK.”
She added that she preferred not to discuss either of her sons’ personal lives.
“I’ll talk about my life and when the kids were little and I was with them, but they’re men now,” she said. “They’ve got their own lives and there isn’t a man alive that’s going to talk to their mom about their personal life. It’s just not gonna happen.”
October 2023: Donna Kelce Comments on Newfound Attention on Her Family
The same day, Mama Kelce appeared on the “Got It From My Momma” podcast where she opened up about the media attention on her family since Swift had started attending Chief’s games.
“I feel like I’m in an alternate universe because it’s something that I’ve never been involved with before,” she said of the hype.
She added that she was aware that Swift’s presence at the games had inspired more young girls and women to tune into “Sunday Night Football.”
“I had one dad who DM’ed me, and he said, ‘Finally, finally, my daughter is watching football with me,’” she said.
October 2023: Donna Kelce Reveals her Favorite Swift Song
Around the same time, Donna Kelce told People she never considered herself a Swiftie before the pop star started dating her son.
“My era was Earth, Wind and Fire, Chaka Khan, things like that. That’s more my music,” she said.
“But obviously, talent is talent,” she added.
The proud football mom also revealed her favorite Swift song: “Shake It Off.”
November 2023: Donna Kelce Says Travis Kelce Is ‘Happier Than I’ve Seen Him In a Long Time’
By the time Donna Kelce spoke to WSJ. Magazine in November 2023, Travis Kelce and Swift had publicly confirmed they were together.
“I can tell you this. He’s happier than I’ve seen him in a long time,” she told the publication.
She added, “God bless him, he shot for the stars!”
November 2023: Donna Kelce Praises ‘Eras Tour’ Concert Film
In an interview with People published November 2023, Donna Kelce had high praise for the “Eras Tour” concert film.
“I did see it and I did like it. It was awesome,” she said.
She went on to describe Swift as “extremely, extremely talented” and said she “was just totally enthralled” while watching her movie.
She added that she also admired Swift’s ability “to connect with people.”
“That’s just amazing,” she said.
February 2024: Donna Kelce’s Facebook Cover Photo Includes Swift
Just ahead of the 2024 Super Bowl, Mama Kelce updated her Facebook cover photo to a group shot that included Swift. During an appearance on TODAY days later, she explained why she added the photo.
“That was a picture where all of us were so excited that we’re in the suite. And we were so excited that (the Chiefs) made it to the Super Bowl that we just took a shot of everybody that was there,” she said.
“So it wasn’t anything calculating or anything like that,” she added. “It just was everybody that was supporting my son and I was so happy to put that picture on Facebook.”
February 2024: Donna Kelce and Swift Hold Hands After Chiefs Win Super Bowl
At the 2024 Super Bowl, Donna Kelce and Swift joined forces again to cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the San Francisco 49ers.
After the Chiefs’ win, Swift and Donna Kelce held hands as they walked onto the field to congratulate Travis Kelce.
February 2024: Ed Kelce Praises the ‘Real Taylor’
Ed Kelce, who first met Swift months before, praised the singer for being “gracious” with the fans who swarm her at Chiefs games.
“Every game there’s people crowding outside the front of that suite trying to get a glimpse of Taylor, wanting to meet Taylor,” he said during an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
“Taylor’s very gracious, but she can’t do everything,” he went on. “And she’s got security guys who don’t want her doing anything. That’s their job and she’s smart enough to know, ‘I’m paying these guys to keep me safe. I should probably listen to them.’”
“But if it was up to her she’d be out there with everyone who wants her,” he added.
Ed Kelce revealed that he’d gotten a good sense of who Swift was when she gave the commencement speech at New York University in May 2022, where she also received an honorary doctorate of fine arts.
“Listening to that, you get a much better sense of who this young woman is, as opposed to the social media blurbs and the gossip magazines,” he said. “That’s all celebrity stuff. This is more the real Taylor.”
November 2024: Donna Kelce Shares If Swift Will Attend Kelce Family Thanksgiving Dinner
When Mama Kelce dropped by TODAY on Nov. 14, 2024, she said her Thanksgiving plans that year, like every year, would include football.
“Travis is playing the day after Thanksgiving,” she said. “You know, football is always the holidays. Football’s family.”
TODAY’s Craig Melvin then asked if Swift would be a part of the holiday his year.
“I don’t think so,” Donna Kelce said. “She’s kind of busy right now. She still has her tour to do.”
Swift wrapped up her U.S. “Eras Tour” shows on Nov. 3 in Indianapolis, and then returned to the stage in Toronto from Nov. 14-16, and then again Nov. 21-23. Swift wrapped up her record-breaking tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver.
April 2024: Donna Kelce Says ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Is Swift’s ‘Best Work’
Mama Kelce shared how much she enjoyed Swift’s newly released album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” during an April 24 interview with People.
“I listened to the whole album, and I listened to it all morning long when it was released,” she shared.
“I was just very impressed,” she said. “She is a very talented woman and I think it is probably her best work.”
When the NFL mom was asked during the interview if she had any advice for Swift about aging, she responded, “She doesn’t need my advice on anything. In fact, I hope she will give me advice.”
August 2025: Ed Kelce Shares Details About His Son’s Proposal to Swift
Hours after Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement on Instagram on Aug. 26, Ed Kelce revealed details about how his son proposed to Swift while chatting with ABC News 5 Cleveland.
“Travis actually did the proposal, oh, maybe two weeks, not quite two weeks ago. He was going to put it off ‘til this week,” Ed Kelce shared.
The proud dad explained his son wanted to make his proposal to Swift “some grand thing” and a “big special event.”
“He got her out there, they were about to go out to dinner, and he said, ‘Let’s go out and have a glass of wine,’ … they got out there, and that’s when he asked her, and it was beautiful,” he said, sharing the proposal happened at a garden in Missouri. “They started FaceTiming me and their mother and her folks to make sure everybody knew. So, to see them together is great.”
Ed Kelce said “about a week ago” he asked his son when he and Swift would announce their engagement.
“He said, ‘Whenever Taylor says so,’” he said.
Ed Kelce added that he’d personally known Travis Kelce would ask Swift to marry him ever since his last NFL season.
“That’s when it became obvious they were just crazy about each other,” he said.
