The Swifties are down bad over Jason Kelce’s retirement as fan edits and tributes pour in
He’s retiring after 13 NFL seasons (Swift’s lucky number). 🤯
Taylor Swift fans are devastated — not because an Eras Tour stop is canceled, not because of a breakup or career setback for their icon. It’s because Jason Kelce told teammates he is retiring, sources told The Inquirer, following the Philadelphia Eagles’ post-season-ending loss Monday night.
That’s Jason Kelce, brother of Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Jason Kelce, Swift’s maybe one-day potential brother-in-law. Jason Kelce, costar with Travis on their New Heights podcast, and default-quirky uncle to the Swifties’ latest mom and dad.
Following Jason’s announcement that Monday night’s game would be his last, tributes came pouring in. But not just from Eagles fans.
On X (formerly Twitter), a Swift fan account that goes by Del posted a dramatic fan-edit video that intertwines voiceovers from Jason about his career and photos of him atop Swift’s “Long Live.” It’s been viewed more than 200,000 times.
“OH MY GOD IM SOBBING HYSTERICALLY,” another Swift fan responded to the video. “I’m gonna become a whole different person tomorrow when I see Jason talking about last night and his retirement and him and Travis both emotional over it.”
Separately, another fan posted a photo of Kelce on the field accompanied by “Long Live” lyrics: “Tell ‘em how the crowds went wild ... I had the time of my life, with you.” Other fan edits continue to pop up, mostly to “Long Live,” but also including songs like “You’re on Your Own, Kid.”
One fan confessed that six months ago they didn’t even care about football, but now they’re “crying about Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s brother possibly playing his last game.”
The phenomenon is the latest example of the sheer power of Swift’s fans, and the cultural zeitgeist intersecting the pop star with the NFL that was unlocked once she went public with Travis and began attending his games.
To the delight of some fans and the chagrin of others, the NFL as a whole — not just the Kansas City Chiefs — is a Swiftie thing now.
The singer’s game day appearances are fashion moments, with fans clamoring to figure out what she’ll wear next. It has also sparked female NFL fans to continue to criticize the league’s lack of stylish clothing options, heightening their need to turn to vintage and custom-made options (like Swift’s viral puffer jacket from over the weekend).
» READ MORE: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship is real — and really great branding
And, as displayed by their sudden devotion to Jason, Swifties love Travis’ brother and their podcast, New Heights.
Both the podcast and NFL viewership have seen surges in women listeners and viewers, data shows, significantly changing the gender breakdown of consumers.
“One of the [NFL’s] players is very publicly in a relationship with this extremely famous person and that extremely famous person is showing up at the events,” Rachel Greenspan, social supervisor at digital marketing agency VMLY&R, previously told The Inquirer. “And Travis is showing up at Taylor’s events and it’s kind of like a really nice, symbiotic, mutual, engagement-driving conversation on the parts of Taylor, for Travis Kelce’s personal brand for sure, and for the NFL as a league.”
And for all the devoted but new fans of Jason, here’s an extra Easter egg for you: he’s retiring after 13 NFL seasons (Swift’s lucky number).