Travis Kelce traded in his cleats for a top hat last weekend to join Taylor Swift onstage during her Eras tour — and it was all his idea.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end discussed his surprise appearance at Wembley Stadium on the “New Heights” podcast Wednesday with his brother, Jason, who was more than eager to quiz his younger brother about being a backup dancer.
“It's not like me. I don't like to get up on stage,” Travis said mischievously, noting his tendency to make himself the center of attention, whether on the playing field or in the White House.
“I initially mentioned it to Tay, but I said, ‘How fun would it be if I went out riding one of the 1989-era bikes?'” he explained. “He laughed and said, ‘Would you really dare to do something like that?'”
The answer: absolutely.
“I thought, ‘What? I’d love to do that, are you kidding me?’ I’ve seen enough of the show,” she said, referencing her numerous appearances in the Eras VIP tent. “They might as well put me to work here.”
The power couple decided that maybe hopping on a bike wasn’t the best option, in case Travis ran into a dancer. Instead, he joined her and dancers Kameron Saunders and Jan Ravnik for the “Tortured Poets Department” interlude, where the men set up Taylor like a puppet for their next song in silent-movie style.
“It’s a really fun and playful part of the show and it was the perfect place or the perfect time to go there and just be an actor, have a little fun, not just with her and Kam and Jan but with the audience, and try to get everyone excited for the rest of the show,” Travis said. “It was an absolute blast.”
The surprise performance wasn’t without its risks: Travis had to carry the “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer across the stage. Luckily, his soccer skills prepared him well.
“The only thing I told myself was, ‘Don’t drop the baby. Don’t drop Taylor as you’re heading toward this damn couch.’ The golden rule was don’t drop Taylor, get her to the couch safely,” he said. The brothers compared the maneuver to carrying a soccer ball during a high-stakes game.
In fact, Travis said, the words of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy were running through his mind during his big moment: “That ball has our dreams, goals and aspirations on it; don’t drop that ball,” Bieniemy recalled saying.
That wasn't the only football connection on stage that night.
“Kam’s brother, Khalen Saunders, and I played together in Kansas City and won two Super Bowls together,” Travis said, calling Khalen one of his “all-time favorite teammates” and marveling at the serendipity of having the opportunity to “rock the field with him and now rock the stage with his brother.”
Travis admitted that the cheers he receives after a touchdown in Kansas City last a little longer than the reception he received in London, but in defense of the Eras tour crowd, he said, “It took everyone a second to realize.”
“They put the camera on me, Kam and Jan, the three of them going up on stage. That moment was quite shocking,” he said.
“You don't realize how big that stage is,” Travis said. Jason compared it to the length of a football field.
“It’s way bigger than I ever imagined,” Travis added. “I was like, ‘I feel tiny up here.’ It was amazing and I didn’t let Taylor down, which is all that matters.”
Travis said he loved being a part of the show.
“It was amazing that they were willing to help me and make me look like a professional,” he said.
While Swift won't be playing for the Chiefs anytime soon, Travis didn't rule out the possibility of returning to his girlfriend's stage.
“Who knows, maybe it won’t be the last time!”
