Tag: Donna Kelce

What’s behind the right’s attack on Swift-Kelce romance? Fear of a powerful woman

Stop whatever you’re doing right now because odds are that you’re not operating out of free will. That’s right. The Taylor Swift tune you’re mindlessly humming while scrolling past Super Bowl ads on the way to checking your email isn’t just a harmless earworm, at least according to the MAGA Mediaverse.

It’s all part of a nefarious plot to subvert the 2024 election and hand it to Joe Biden.

In a triangulation of paranoia, politics and pop music, right-wing influencers warned this week that superstar Swift and her co-conspirators, the NFL, are part of a widespread scheme to tank Donald Trump’s chances of winning back the White House.

This carefully constructed web of deceit has been uncovered/fabricated by misinformation agents from Fox News to OAN to regional talk radio, many of whom have also spent the last few months convincing their followers that Swift is a Trojan Horse for the Democratic Party … and an undercover Pentagon operative.

Fox News anchor Jesse Watters suggested earlier this month that Swift might be “a front for a covert political agenda.” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh responded to Watters’ claim using a song title and lyric from the singer’s hit repertoire: “As for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off.”

Taylor Swift, left, and Travis Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, watch the Kansas City Chiefs receive the Lamar Hunt trophy after an AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens.

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

Now Swift’s recent-ish romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is being held up as proof that the NFL is involved in a deep-six operation to sink the GOP come November. The football organization will supposedly do so by rigging the upcoming Super Bowl in favor of Kansas City, therefore giving Swift the perfect moment — the halftime show! — to announce her endorsement of the Democratic candidate.

Big pharma also has their hand in the malfeasance, or is it the Clintons? Or both? Hard to keep track, but if we were to ask a Magic 8 Ball, as reliable a source as any on Fox, “It is decidedly so.”

No matter that it doesn’t exactly require “Mission Impossible” coordination to make the above predictions come true: Swift, along with three-quarters of the entertainment industry, endorsed Joe Biden during the last election cycle and probably will do so again.

The Chiefs won the 2023 Super Bowl, and this year’s game marks their fourth appearance in five years. Yet on Sunday after the Chiefs’ victory against the Baltimore Ravens, conservative media personality Mike Cripsi took the bold step of “Calling it now: KC wins, goes to Super Bowl, Swift comes out at the halftime show and ‘endorses’ Joe Biden with Kelce at midfield. … It’s all been an op since day one.”

That’s “op” as in “psy-op,” a favored right-wing term for psychological manipulation. Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy posted similar psy-op sentiments on X, to which the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, replied, “Exactly.”

The idea that Swift and Kelce are players in a covert stratagem against Republicans is so facile that it feels generous to even label it a conspiracy theory on the same plane as, like, Area 51 and the staged moon landing. Yet folks have bitten, and now I’m writing about it.

But choosing Taylor Swift as the figurehead of this imaginary attack on MAGA world is a curious about-face given that the billionaire songstress was one of the few pop sensations embraced by the right.

The innocuous, feel-good singer emerged out of country music two decades ago and for much of her career was embraced by middle America as a wholesome, safe alternative to Beyoncé and other leading ladies who don’t resemble the Swiss Miss cocoa girl.

So what changed? Just about everything, including the sad truth that everything is up for polarizing politicization when issues and policy are no longer at the core of a campaign or a party’s goals.

Real issues — from the lack of affordable housing to a potential world war erupting out of the Middle East to the multiple criminal trials of the Republican front-runner — requiring discernment and serious thought. And since Trump’s GOP appears short on both, they’ve turned to another tried-and-true red herring: Attacking a powerful woman.

Sports pundits and conservative personalities have been grousing for months about legions of Swifties suddenly attending Kansas City games, and even donning Kelce’s “87” jersey. How dare they!

Kelce already was a questionable figure among right-wing sports fans for his role in a campaign promoted by Pfizer that encourages people to get a COVID-19 and flu shot at the same time. Now he’s dragged pop culture — a realm often criticized by conservative pundits as a petri dish of woke ideologies — into the sacred world of sports, barely covering his tracks from apolitical player to undercover leftist operative.

Despite the latter narrative, it’s Swift’s fame that launched Kelce onto the worldwide stage. Her record-breaking Eras tour, and a blockbuster film enshrining the concerts, catapulted her from an omnipresent musical sensation to a global force. Her boyfriend of the moment naturally become part of the phenomenon.

Sometimes a pop star really just is a pop star, and a football player really just is a football player. Even in an election year where fear of psy-ops and pop stardom collide.

Lorraine Ali

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January 31, 2024
Mama Kelce Just Weighed in on Those Travis & Jason Kelce Retirement Reports

While the jury’s still out on whether or not they’re stepping away from the football field for good, Donna Kelce’s response to Travis and Jason Kelce’s retirement rumors is giving us a better idea of their plans post-NFL glory.

Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jason Kelce, a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, have both sparked headlines in recent weeks regarding their futures in the NFL. Their mom, Donna, seemingly addressed the reports in a new interview with People, telling the outlet that she’s confident her sons will continue to be involved with the NFL in some capacity even if they do choose to retire in the near future.

The mother of two explained that she “can’t believe that they wouldn’t be in the future involved with football in some capacity because they love it so much.” She continued, “They love the people and they love the coaches. They just love the whole aspect about it,” highlighting the “very small community” they share in football.

Mama Kelce went on to emphasize her confidence in her sons, noting that they can do anything they set their minds to. “Anything they want to do, I truly believe they could do. I’ve seen it over and over again,” she shared. “They are just very tenacious, very much, ‘I’m going to see this through.’ They just never give up. They just keep moving on.”

Donna’s thoughts come just weeks after her son Jason Kelce’s loss with the Eagles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL’s Wild Card weekend. The loss marked the end of the Eagles postseason journey, knocking the Philadelphia team out of the playoffs. Following the loss, many began to wonder if it was the last time they would be seeing Jason Kelce wearing the number 62. But according to the 36-year-old, the decision to retire hasn’t been made just yet.

“I just don’t think you’re in a position after a game like that to really, you know, make that decision. I just don’t,” Jason said during an episode of his “New Heights” podcast on January 17, 2024. “There’s too much emotion in the moment. There’s too much going down in the moment to really fully grasp that decision.” He went on to add, “I’m not trying to be dramatic to continue to draw this thing out. I’m really not.”

His younger brother Travis also responded to the rumors that Jason might retire, noting during a press conference on January 19, 2024, “It came out that he retired, and he really didn’t say any of that.”

“The end of that game, I think everybody kind of felt for him, knowing that he has been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of years. The documentary shows that. You don’t need to go around and ask anybody,” Travis told reporters, adding, “It’s been cool to see everybody appreciate who he’s been over the years this past week, but I think the big guy still got some football left if he wants it.

Meanwhile, Travis appeared to shut down his own retirement rumors during a recent bonus video for his “New Heights” podcast. “I haven’t found something outside of football that’s going to challenge me like playoff football,” he said. “And I don’t know if I’ll ever find that. And that’s one of the things that’ll make me play this game until the wheels fall off.”

He continued, “I know that I get to accept these challenges and these difficult games, these difficult matchups, the question of whether or not we’ll prevail — and coming up big for the guys next to me. It’s an energy and an excitement that I haven’t found anywhere else in the world, and it’s something that I definitely cherish.”

As the Kelce brothers navigate their potential post-NFL paths, one thing is clear—their love for football is likely to endure, regardless of whether they’re playing in the league or participating in it from the sidelines.

Jenzia Burgos

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January 27, 2024
Travis’ Mom Subtly Hinted at Wanting More Grandkids Now That He’s With Taylor

Family plans! While there aren’t any Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kids in the pipeline just yet, multiple reports seem to suggest that the NFL star and pop sensation are already talking about this major next step. And one member of the family is especially excited about it: Travis Kelce‘s mom, Donna Kelce.

During the December 29, 2023 episode of the “New Heights” podcast, hosted by Travis and his brother Jason Kelce, the brothers invited their mom, Donna Kelce, back to the show. Donna, who previously spoke out about favoring Jason due to his role as a doting father to three adorable daughters with wife Kylie, sparked the age-old sibling rivalry when she admitted that the Eagles player might still be her “favorite.”

“Has that changed at all this season?” Travis asked, to which Donna replied, “Not yet!” with a laugh. Travis couldn’t help but laugh along, quipping, “Ah, the burn!” Mama Kelce quickly smoothed things over, however, telling her sons, “I love you both just the same.”

Despite the good-natured teasing, it seems Travis is taking matters into his own hands to secure that coveted “favorite son” status. Jason and Kylie might be ahead in the grandkid department with three little ones, but Travis, who is currently sans offspring, has been making comments that indicate he’s ready to make the move toward fatherhood.

Image: David Eulitt/Getty Images.

Back in February 2023, Travis made some controversial comments about needing to “find a breeder” to bring children into the picture. “I’m gonna find a breeder, and I’m gonna get kids so that mom can love me again,” he said on the February 9th episode of his podcast. Little did we know that just a few months later, Travis would start making headlines for his budding romance with none other than Taylor Swift.

The real plot twist, however, came in October 2023 when reports surfaced claiming that Travis and Taylor were not only serious as a couple, but were already making plans for the future. According to a source who spoke to Life & Style, the couple is already contemplating parenthood. “They’re already making plans for the future,” a source revealed to the publication at the time. “Travis wants them in the next year or so, and Taylor, of course, is all in. He’s exactly the guy she’s been waiting for!”

The insider went on to spill the beans about a heartfelt confession Travis made to the “Cruel Summer” singer that supposedly changed the course of their relationship. “He told her that this wasn’t going to be just a fling. He said he can see himself marrying Taylor.”

So, it seems that not only is Travis ready to add some Kelce genes to the family mix, but he might be on the path to becoming Donna’s favorite son after all. Only time will tell if wedding bells and baby rattles will be the next chapters in this unexpected “Love Story,” but we’ll be sure to update you if they do!

Jenzia Burgos

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December 30, 2023
Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s Holiday Plans Will Mark a Major Step In Their Relationship

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift haven’t reunited since Argentina, and after spending Thanksgiving separately, are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spending the holidays together? Find out what sources are saying about the couple’s Christmas and New Year’s plans below.

The last time we saw Taylor and Travis together was when the Chiefs football player flew to Argentina to attend the second night of Swift’s Eras Tour in Buenos Aires. Although the second night was cancelled due to weather, he was still able to make the next day’s performance. Kelce joined in with the audience by cheering, “Olé olé olé olé, Taylor Taylor!” and danced to Swift’s most iconic hits.

The superstar even allegedly pointed to her beau at various times throughout the night, such as when singing “you know I love the players” during “Blank Space” and “that’s my man” during “Willow.” But perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the night was when the 12-time Grammy winner replaced the lyrics to “Karma” with “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.” After the three-hour set, Swift ran into her boyfriend’s arms and gave him a kiss.

While multiple news outlets reported that the couple’s parents would meet at the Chiefs and Eagles game on Nov. 20, Swift was unable to attend after she had to reschedule her show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, due to the dangerous heat wave. The move also came after 23-year-old Brazilian swiftie Ana Clara Benevides died after suffering cardiac arrest before Swift took the stage on Nov. 17.

While speaking about her Thanksgiving plans to Us Weekly earlier this week, Travis’ mom Donna Kelce didn’t reveal whether the pop star was joining her family’s Thanksgiving celebrations. On Turkey Day, Travis was photographed driving solo in Kansas City while Swift was in Brazil for her tour. “I’ll be feasting on KFC because I won’t have anybody here,” Travis said on Wednesday’s episode of his New Heights podcast.

So, will Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce be spending Christmas and New Year’s together? Here’s what sources are saying about the couple’s future plans.

Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spending the holidays together?

Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spending the holidays together? We’re not completely sure, but multiple sources tell Us Weekly that the beloved couple have “big plans” to spend Christmas and the New Year holiday together.

“Travis has already started Christmas shopping and has some really special surprises [for Taylor] in store,” a source tells the site. “Their connection is off the charts, and they can’t wait to celebrate together.

While the Midnights singer wraps up the South American leg of her Eras Tour and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end finishes the NFL season, the pair is reportedly coordinating their schedules to see each other. “They have very detailed plans coming up while she’s on tour and he has games,” a second source tells Us. “Taylor and Travis have the next few months completely laid out. They don’t want to start their relationship off with big gaps [in time spent apart]. They’re trying to be as much like a regular couple as possible.”

The second source adds that the lovebirds are hoping to squeeze in visits with each other’s families before jetting off on a romantic trip with just the two of them. “They love [getting together] with their families and friends, but right now, what they value above all else is alone time.”

As for where the duo may hunker down this holiday season, a third source notes that they’ll likely spend time in Nashville, Tennessee, where Swift owns a $2.5 million, 5,600-square-foot mansion. “Travis hasn’t been to Taylor’s Nashville place yet, so he’s really looking forward to it.”

We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.

Monica Mercuri

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November 26, 2023
Travis & Jason Aren’t the Only Rich Kelces—See How Much Donna Kelce Is Worth

As the mother of two Super Bowl champions, Donna Kelce has a lot to be proud of. The 71-year-old is now in the spotlight for something other than the epic rivalry between her boys at the NFL’s biggest match: Her son Travis’ relationship with Taylor Swift. Wondering about Donna Kelce’s net worth? Keep reading to find out.

Mama Kelce hails from Cleveland, and before being a dedicated NFL mom, she held high-level positions in finance (which we’ll get to below). Donna revealed on her sons’ joint podcast New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce that she met her now ex-husband, and their father Ed, while on her way to another date. Before going to a play, she stopped at a bar where Ed was enjoying an after-work drink. “I was supposed to go out with a guy that night. We were supposed to go to a play, and I never made it. Your dad and I talked forever,” Donna told her sons. “It was a good play, too! I really wanted to see it.”

Donna and Ed got married in the late ’70s. They welcomed their older son Jason in Nov. 1987 and Travis shortly after in Oct. 1989. They raised their family in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and their sons both went to the University of Cincinnati to play college football. After Jason and Travis graduated from college, the couple decided to separate after roughly 25 years of marriage. Donna said that she holds no ill will toward their father.

“I don’t hate him. We’re friends to this day. We get along great,” Donna explained on the podcast. “We were like a tag team with you two. We got to do all sorts of fun things. When one of you had to go out of town, the other person would help with the other child. It was perfect.”

Both Donna and Ed have supported their sons’ football careers by cheering them on the sidelines. In January 2023, Donna went viral after traveling over 1,200 miles to see her sons’ Wild Card playoff matches in person on the same day. She was in the spotlight again in September 2023 after she was photographed in a suite alongside Travis’ rumored girlfriend and popstar billionaire, Taylor Swift.

Two months later, multiple news outlets are reporting that Donna and Ed are allegedly planning to meet Swift’s parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, when the Eagles play the Chiefs on Monday, November 20 at 8 p.m. It will also mark the first time the teams will face off since the Super Bowl LVII in February, so there’s a lot at stake.

Donna Kelce Net Worth

What is Donna Kelce’s net worth? Donna Kelce’s net worth is estimated to be at $1.55 million, according to Popular Net Worth. It’s currently unknown if she makes any money from her sons’ successful careers.

Kelce is retired after spending 30 years working in banking, where she specialized in commercial real estate finances. She previously held vice president and senior VP positions at various banking institutions, including Truist, KeyBank and Bank One, per her LinkedIn page. She earned a Bachelor of Communications degree from Ohio University and graduated with her MBA in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace University in 1983. She officially retired in 2021.

As for her children, Donna’s sons are among the highest-paid NFL players in the league. Travis Kelce’s net worth is reportedly around $30 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The Kansas City Chief tight end allegedly renewed his contract with the team in 2022 worth $57.25 million, securing him an annual salary of $14.3 million until 2026. The football star also has brand deals with Nike, Old Spice, T-Mobile and Dick’s Sporting Goods, McDonalds and Papa Johns.

In a January 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, Travis joked about how he isn’t paid enough. “My managers and agents love to tell me how underpaid I am,” he said. “Any time I talk about wanting more money, they’re just like, ‘Why don’t you go to the Chiefs and ask them?”

Meanwhile, Travis’ brother Jason Kelce‘s net worth is estimated to be slightly higher at $40 million. The Philadelphia Eagles player is considered to be the current top-earning center in the NFL. Jason’s contract was renewed for one year in 2023 at a value of $14.25 million (which includes a base salary of $1,165,000 and a $10,335,000 signing bonus).

The athlete’s fortune is also comprised of lucrative endorsement deals and real estate investments, including an eight-acre farm in Pennsylvania and a property in his hometown of Cleveland.

Monica Mercuri

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November 20, 2023
Travis Kelce’s Mom, Donna, Shares Thoughts About Taylor Swift On Social Media

It looks like Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna Kelce, is well on her way to becoming a Swiftie.

After Donna was spotted hanging out and cheering on her son alongside Taylor Swift for two weeks in a row at Kansas City Chiefs games, the NFL mom is singing the pop star’s praises on social media.

Donna’s seeming stamp of approval for Swift comes amid increasingly inescapable rumors that the 12-time Grammy winner is dating Travis, a tight end for the Chiefs.

On Monday, Donna posted a cozy clip on Instagram of her embracing the “Cruel Summer” singer during the Chiefs’ game against the New York Jets on Sunday night.

“Travis Kelce’s biggest fans [heart emoji],” read the caption of the Instagram post, which was also shared by NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” page.

Swift’s recent enthusiastic support for the Chiefs player has prompted a wave of “Traylor” memes and tweets on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. Donna joined in on the fun of one particular meme that’s had the internet in a chokehold.

Fans will recall that after Swift was seen eating chicken tenders at the Chiefs’ Sept. 24 game, a fan site amusingly described her choice of dipping sauces as “ketchup and seemingly ranch.”

The innocuous condiment choice turned into an entire social media movement by way of endless tweets, with Heinz even announcing plans to release a limited edition of “Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch” sauce.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are rumored to be dating.

On Sunday, Donna Kelce nodded to the meme while cheering on her older son Jason, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, at Lincoln Financial Field, E! News reports.

Sharing a picture of herself with a basket of chicken fingers and ketchup on her Instagram Stories, she captioned the post: “No ‘Seemingly Ranch’ Here at the Linc.”

Things between Swift and Donna seem to be going swimmingly. In a story published Monday, an unidentified source told People that “Donna likes Taylor and thinks she’s very sweet and down to earth.”

Last month, buzz about the pair’s possible romance ignited after Page Six reported that Swift and the two-time Super Bowl champ had been “quietly hanging out” for weeks.

The gossip took further flight after the “Bad Blood” singer was seen walking and smiling with Travis after the Chiefs’ win. She allegedly left the game with him.

Though neither party has publicly confirmed their relationship, the star athlete appeared tickled pink over Swift and her support of him during a recent episode of his podcast “New Heights.”

“That was pretty ballsy,” Travis told his brother Jason, referring to Swift “pulling up” to his game against the Chicago Bears last month.

He added: “I just thought it was awesome how everybody in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her ― the friends and family.”

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October 3, 2023