Global superstar Taylor Swift took extraordinary steps to make amends after her blockbuster Eras Tour schedule forced her to miss the wedding of Travis Kelce's Kansas City Chiefs teammate, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, in 2024. The singer, who forged a close bond with Edwards-Helaire and his wife JoJo after her relationship with Kelce went public in September 2023, was performing in Dublin, Ireland, when the ceremony took place.
A Transatlantic Apology and a Best Man's Flight
According to reports from the Kansas City Star, Swift personally phoned the newlyweds to apologise for her absence. In a significant gesture, she ensured Travis Kelce could attend by arranging for him to fly back to the United States from Dublin. This came just a week after Kelce's surprise onstage appearance at Swift's London show.
Edwards-Helaire revealed he told Kelce he didn't need to make the trip to Louisiana for the wedding. Kelce's response was telling: "Nah, Taylor’s already sending me. It’s good." Edwards-Helaire later said Swift's understanding of his friendship with Kelce was key, noting, "It was one of those things where she understood the relationship, she knows where everything stands."
Kelce's Support Through PTSD Struggles
The report sheds light on the depth of the friendship between the two American football players. During the summer of 2024, Kelce took Edwards-Helaire under his wing as the running back grappled with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which led to a period of hospitalisation.
While Edwards-Helaire has never specified the exact cause, he referenced a traumatic 2018 incident where an 18-year-old man attempted to rob him and a friend at gunpoint. The man was fatally shot, though police never confirmed who fired. Edwards-Helaire indicated this event was a major source of his mental health challenges, compounded by the loss of other friends to gun violence.
Speaking in August 2024, he described the mental toll: "It's really just mentally just not being there." He praised teammates like Kelce for their vigilance, saying they could tell when he wasn't himself.
Swift's Concern During Chiefs Parade Shooting
The bond of care extended beyond personal struggles. The report also details that during the tragic shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl parade in 2024, Swift, who was on tour in Australia, attempted to contact Edwards-Helaire directly to check on Kelce's safety. At the time, Kelce had lent Edwards-Helaire his phone, preventing direct contact.
Despite Edwards-Helaire's subsequent move to the New Orleans Saints, the friendships endure. He is reportedly invited to Swift and Kelce's anticipated wedding in June of this year. Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Kelce is contemplating retirement from the NFL following the Chiefs' failure to make the playoffs this season.
