After Travis Kelce set a new NFL record for yards after the catch (YAC) on Sunday night, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid attributed Kelce’s resurgence so far this season to his new wife, pop megastar Taylor Swift. Swift “kicks him in the butt,” Reid said.
But Swift is doing much more than supporting Kelce these days. In her first major career announcement since the pop culture power couple’s July 3 wedding, Swift released a video teaser on Thursday morning, just three days before Kelce and the Chiefs’ next game.
Swift’s “Patient Zero” Teaser and Kelce’s Marriage Boost
Swift released a 13-second “Patient Zero” video teaser Thursday, first airing it on “CBS Mornings” and then posting it with the caption “This Sunday,” according to an Entertainment Weekly report.
The clip shows Swift at a bathroom sink and in a snowy cemetery, with her engagement and wedding rings visible in a tearful close-up, according to Vulture‘s teaser breakdown. Swift directed the video, which also stars Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell and was shot by three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki.
The full video premieres Sunday, Sept. 27, at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Swift receives the inaugural Artist Director Honors and holds 11 nominations, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
After the wedding, sources described Swift as “pouring herself into writing.”
Swift has attended both Chiefs home games, and after the Colts touchdown she pointed to her ring and mouthed “That’s my husband.”
Reid’s “kicks him in the butt” remark answers months of questions about whether Kelce’s July 3 wedding and honeymoon left him unprepared, and the tight end’s early production points the other way.
“I know everybody questioned the wedding and all that. Would he be out of shape and honeymooning the whole time? But he works his rear end off. [With] Taylor [Swift], you’re putting on four-hour shows. You’ve got to work hard, too. I’m sure she kicks him in the butt a little bit there, too,” Reid said, as quoted by ESPN reporter Nate Taylor.
Kelce reported to camp three weeks after the wedding and missed no practices.
Travis Kelce’s Record Start for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce passed Marshall Faulk for the NFL career record in yards after the catch on an 11-yard reception against Indianapolis. His total stands at 6,287.
His 128 YAC lead the league, his best two-game total in any season. His average route speed of 11.56 mph, tracked by Next Gen Stats, is his fastest since 2022, according to ESPN.
Against the Colts, Kelce caught 9 passes for a game-high 101 yards and a 13-yard touchdown past nickel cornerback Justin Walley. Against the Denver Broncos, he had a 59-yard catch that included 54 YAC and hit a peak speed of 16.88 mph.
His season line is 12 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown on 16 targets, according to Pro Football Focus data.
Kelce and Patrick Mahomes also posted their 23rd game with 300 passing yards and 100 receiving yards, two short of the Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski record.
The Chiefs are 2-0, first in yards per game at 457.5 and third in points at 32. Kenneth Walker III’s 369 all-purpose yards have created single coverage for Kelce, according to ESPN.
Taylor Swift Announces Career News After Travis Kelce Sets New NFL Record