In a discovery that has delighted fans, a forgotten photo from Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has resurfaced, revealing an unseen chapter in the genesis of her romance with NFL star Travis Kelce. The image features Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, enjoying the very concert where Kelce famously attempted to pass the singer a friendship bracelet bearing his phone number.
The Fateful Night at Arrowhead Stadium
The pivotal event took place on July 8, 2023, at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. While Travis Kelce attended with a handmade bracelet and a hopeful plan to meet Swift, his teammate and close friend Patrick Mahomes was also in the audience with Brittany. The newly unearthed photo, originally shared to Brittany's Instagram story and saved by an ardent Swiftie, shows the couple leaning in for a selfie high in the stands, fully immersed in the sold-out spectacle.
Brittany Mahomes, a well-known fixture at Chiefs games, appeared to be channelling Swift's 'Lover' era in a blush-pink corset dress with puff sleeves. Patrick Mahomes kept it casual in a white t-shirt and a backwards baseball cap. "Just being Swifties," Brittany captioned the story, adding a heart-eyes emoji.
Swifties Credit Brittany as Unwitting Matchmaker
The emergence of the two-year-old photo has sent the Swiftie fandom into a frenzy, with many crediting Brittany Mahomes as a crucial, if unintentional, architect of the now-famous relationship. Fans theorise that it was Brittany who secured the tickets and encouraged attendance that night.
"I feel like Brit doesn’t get enough credit for being a key piece of this whole thing," one fan wrote online. Another added, "Brittany Mahomes set out to go see Taylor Swift, her husband brought his best friend and because of that, now she gets to call Taylor a close friend. The ultimate win." The sentiment online overwhelmingly paints Brittany as the unsung hero who set the wheels in motion.
Kelce's Foiled Plan and Ultimate Success
As previously revealed on his New Heights podcast with brother Jason, Travis Kelce's initial plan to meet Swift failed. He had crafted a friendship bracelet featuring his phone number, participating in a fan tradition inspired by the lyric "So make the friendship bracelets" from her song 'You're On Your Own, Kid'.
However, he was disappointed to learn Swift does not meet anyone before or after her shows to preserve her voice for the demanding setlist. "I was a little butt-hurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her," Kelce admitted. "She doesn't meet anybody, or at least she didn't want to meet me, so I took it personal."
Fortunately, the story did not end there. Someone in Swift's camp evidently took note, and the pair eventually connected. They have now been dating for over two years, with the three-time Super Bowl champion proposing to the 14-time Grammy winner in August 2024.
A Friendship Forged in the Stands
While Travis Kelce gained a fiancée, Brittany Mahomes gained a new, globally famous friend. As Kelce and Swift's relationship became public during the 2023 NFL season, the two women were frequently pictured together in the stands at Arrowhead, cheering on their partners. Their friendship has blossomed beyond the stadium, with Swift joining Brittany for a girls' weekend in Nashville to celebrate Brittany's 30th birthday in September 2024.
The discovery of the photo solidifies the night of July 8, 2023, as a landmark moment in modern pop culture. It underscores how a simple night out at a concert, intended just for fun among friends, inadvertently laid the groundwork for one of the world's most talked-about relationships and a powerful new friendship between two of its most prominent women.
