Taylor Swift left fans, TV producers, and even her rumored boyfriend in suspense by not attending the Kansas City Chiefs-Minnesota Vikings game today.
Photographers had noted that TV producers had marked Taylor’s designated seat with the same orange sticker used for her previous appearances at Chiefs games, featuring her name ‘Tay’ and a target logo. This sticker helped camera operators locate her during past games against the Bears and the New York Jets.
Despite high expectations for her appearance, fans were left wondering about a potential change of plans when Taylor was not present in the seat labeled for her.
Podcaster Dan Hanzus tweeted, “Taylor Swift apparently drew the line at Minneapolis.” Megan Gailey quipped, “Taylor said ‘an away game? Minneapolis? Awww it’s been fun sweetie but no thanks.’” Mike B. tweeted his surprise, “Did I just watch a whole segment of Chiefs highlights without a shot of Taylor Swift???”
The absence was notable as thousands of fans had gathered at US Bank Stadium, excited by the Swift and Kelce hype that has recently surrounded the NFL. NFL Network reporter Scott Hanson confirmed during the game that Taylor Swift was not in attendance.
The same stickers had been used for Swift’s previous appearances at Arrowhead Stadium, where she supported the Chiefs against the Bears, and at MetLife Stadium for the Chiefs’ game against the New York Jets. Her presence at those games had coincided with Kansas City’s victories, moving them to a 3-1 record for the season.
Despite Swift’s absence today, Chiefs President Mark Donovan dismissed concerns that the attention surrounding Swift and Kelce might distract the team. He stated, “Travis is a smart team player. He can handle it and has been very professional. Our locker room has the maturity, leadership, and respect to handle it.”
Travis Kelce addressed the media on Friday, acknowledging the increased media attention. “It feels like, you know – I was on top of the world after the Super Bowl and right now even more on top of the world,” he said. He added, “I’ve always been pretty good at compartmentalizing and staying focused. I’ll keep rolling with that. Everybody is having fun with it, whether I think they are overdoing it or not.”
Dailymail.com has reached out to Taylor Swift’s representatives for comment.