It has now been well over a year since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce went public with their relationship. Throughout that time, thousands of photos of the couple have circulated across social media as fans of the “Eras Tour” headliner and the Kansas City Chiefs star tight end can’t seem to get enough of the lovers.
One of the first postgame pictures of Swift and Kelce went viral in December 2023 as the couple was photographed holding hands exiting the stadium. This was after the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills, 20-17, on Dec. 10, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce talk as they leave after the Buffalo Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-17, on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce talk as they leave after the Buffalo Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-17, on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
📷Tammy Ljungblad [email protected] pic.twitter.com/eN6cuf366a
— Paolo Songco (@PaoloSongcoNBA) January 8, 2025
That memorable occasion marked the sixth time Swift attended one of Kelce’s games. By that time, the hype surrounding their then-new-found romance was on full steam.
The woman behind the now-iconic picture of Swift and Kelce holding hands at Arrowhead is Tammy Ljungblad of the Kansas City Star. The veteran photojournalist, who has been with the publication since 1989, recently revealed the truth behind her viral snap.
“A couple of hours after the Buffalo Bills defeated the Chiefs 20-17 on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023 – one of the first games Taylor Swift attended – I got a text from another photographer near the elevator, letting me know the couple was leaving the stadium,” Ljungblad said.
“I quickly positioned myself alone on a stairway landing, and moments later, I captured the first Kansas City Star photo of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving arm in arm.
Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Mike Frey-Imagn Images Mike Frey-Imagn Images
“By the time I got home, my photo was all over the internet and television stations, published mostly without my photo byline or a Kansas City Star credit.”
Ljungblad did not reveal who tipped her about Siwft and Kelce’s Arrowhead exit, but there’s no denying that she owes them a big one for playing a key role in what turned out to be one of the most prominent photos of Ljungblad’s career.
Ljungblad and the rest of the media will now keep their eyes peeled for Swift’s next appearance at a Chiefs game. The two-time defending champs have earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs. They won’t be in action until next week as they await their opponents from the Wild Card Round.
