In her wide-ranging interview on the “New Heights” podcast back in August, Taylor Swift offered glimpses into life at home with fiancé Travis Kelce. She revealed that the NFL star, who cohosts the show with his older brother, Jason, was in a room playing video games when she found out she’d gotten her masters back — hardly making him the world’s first boyfriend to get major news with a controller in hand. Swift also shared that Kelce loves showing her clips of otters on his Instagram algorithm — “I want a wild otter so bad,” he chimed in — and that he indulges her interests by having sourdough bread bake-offs. “We’ve set it up where he has a station and I have a station,” Swift said, adding that Kelce triumphed. “His rose higher than mine. His is actually more delicious than mine.”
At 35, Swift is one of the best-selling artists of all time and a 14-time Grammy winner who’s worth an estimated $2.1 billion. Kelce, 36, has won three Super Bowl rings as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and is widely considered a future Hall of Famer. Yet the newly engaged couple’s day-to-day lives are surprisingly down-to-earth: they binge-watch shows, have friends over and spend quality time with family, proving they have plenty in common with Us after all.
After a busy summer traveling between NYC (where Swift owns a $50 million penthouse) and Florida (where Kelce trained for the current NFL season), they’re now settled in in Kansas City, living the simple life and enjoying each other’s company. (Kelce proposed to Swift in the backyard of the home in August.) “With both of their high-profile careers, it feels good to have simplicity and normalcy together,” a source close to the pair exclusively shares in Us Weekly’s latest cover story. Adds a second source: “Taylor and Travis are really chill. On a typical night in, they’re usually having dinner and figuring out what to stream. It’s very domestic and calm.”
Keeping It Low-Key
Swift is embracing her inner homebody. “It’s been so fun to see what Taylor actually gets into around the house,” Kelce said on “New Heights,” before Swift opened up about her obsession with baking and knitting. “I’d say all my hobbies could be categorized as, like, hobbies you could have had in the 1700s, you know? Like, I get on my granny s***,” she said, adding, “we’re very deep in a sourdough obsession that has taken over my life.”
Days at home are decidedly low-key. “They love cooking challenges and random deep dives on documentaries,” says the second source. “Taylor is always organizing something, and Travis likes video games and is always studying football games. They complement each other in that way.”
They’ve developed a few daily routines. “They always have coffee together in the morning,” adds the second source, noting that the duo also attends regular Sunday get-togethers with friends after Chiefs games. They celebrated the team’s win on October 19 at Kelce’s new 1587 Prime steakhouse restaurant, which he co-owns with teammate and close pal Patrick Mahomes. (While Swift has attended at least three of Kelce’s home games this season, she’s kept a noticeably lower profile because the attention on her was “getting too excessive,” says the first source.)
They try to unplug when they can. “They love to turn their phones off [and have] no distractions [when they’re together],” says the second source. Swift raved about spending time with Kelce during her October 6 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “He’s just my favorite person I’ve ever met, no offense to everyone else,” she said, noting she’s thrilled “that this is the person that I get to hang out with every day forever.”
The pair have no airs about them. “Whenever I’m with her, it feels like we’re just regular people,” Kelce told GQ in his August cover story. “When there is not a camera on us, we’re just two people that are in love.” Says the second source: “Taylor and Travis are super simple. People expect glam when they visit them, but it’s the complete opposite. Sometimes they’re in sweats, eating takeout. It’s not what you’d expect.”
When they do go out in the Kansas City area, they can generally fly under the radar. “They don’t have to worry as much about being incognito day-to-day,” says a Kansas City source. Locals are friendly but respectful of their privacy. “Travis is pretty beloved in Kansas City, so when he and Taylor go out to dinner at a restaurant, people will say hello [but] they don’t go out of their way to bother them,” continues the source. “Travis is really personable and will give fans a smile and a pat on the back, and Taylor seems pretty comfortable, likely because Travis is so at home here.”
Tight Crew
The duo enjoys hosting at their house. “Taylor puts a lot of thought into creating a welcoming atmosphere, from curating the playlist to setting a beautiful table and cooking herself,” says the first source, noting that their gatherings tend to be pretty informal. “They’re about connection, laughter and slowing down.”
Their circle is small and includes Patrick and Brittany Mahomes (Swift traveled to Nashville for Brittany’s 30th birthday party in August), the singer’s longtime besties, like Selena Gomez and Ashley Avignone, and their respective families. The first source says Swift has “gotten closer” with sister-in-law Kylie Kelce. During Swift’s “New Heights” appearance, she told Jason she had been workshopping a funfetti loaf recipe for his and Kylie’s daughters “because they love everything rainbow,” pointing out they put “sprinkles in everything when we hang out.” The singer also has a strong bond with Kelce’s mom, Donna. “Travis’ family adores Taylor and treats her like she is one of their own,” says the first source, adding, “Taylor and Travis have merged their friend groups and families. Everyone is deeply connected now.”
Looking Ahead
Wedding plans are “coming along,” says the first source. “They are both [very] involved, and Taylor thinks it’s cute that Travis wants to help.” They’re hoping to tie the knot next summer, possibly in Rhode Island, where she has a summer house. “They don’t want a long engagement,” reveals the source, noting that Swift and Kelce “very much want to start a family in the next year or so. Family means everything to them.”
The happy couple is also in the market for their forever home. In early August, it was reported they’d looked at an $18 million mansion in the suburbs of Northeast Ohio, near Kelce’s hometown.
While Swift is heavily focused on her personal life these days, the singer, who released her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, on October 3, cleared up rumors she plans to retire after marrying Kelce. “I love the person that I am with because he loves what I do and he loves how much I am fulfilled by making art and making music,” she said during an October 6 appearance on BBC Radio 2. For now, she’s deservedly recharging after her demanding 149-date Eras Tour. “Taylor’s not ruling out another tour, but it’s not something on the immediate horizon,” says the first source. Adds the second: “She’s prioritizing her life balance with Travis” — and if that means scrolling sourdough blogs while he plays Madden, so be it!
For more on Taylor and Travis, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
With reporting by Paola Leva, Andrea Simpson & Amanda Williams
