National Football League

Mahomes after Kelce TD in front of Taylor Swift: 'Dude just does what he wants'

Updated Sep. 26, 2023 9:53 p.m. ET

Taylor Swift may have more musical talent than her new rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce, but the All-Pro Chiefs tight end has some creativity of his own.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes told FOX Sports' Erin Andrews that Kelce, who has a penchant for making up pass routes on the fly, did so again in Sunday's win over the Bears when the two NFL superstars connected for a late touchdown — with Swift in attendance, watching from Kelce's box seats.

'Travis Kelce wanted to get in the end zone just as much as the Swifties wanted him to' — Patrick Mahomes

"Of course, it was on a route where Travis — he does his own thing and just makes up a route and I throw it to him," Mahomes said. "I think he wanted to get in the end zone just as much as all the Swifties wanted him to."

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It was not the first time that Kelce has received praise for his ability to come up with routes as it happens. FOX Sports NFL analyst Greg Olsen, a former star tight end in his own right, said on the "NFL on FOX Podcast" last week that Kelce's improv ability is what makes the Chiefs pass-catcher so special — and on the path to potentially becoming the best tight end in NFL history.

"You cannot prepare your linebackers or safeties, or whoever you're trying to get ready each week, for his route tree, for his play style," Olsen said. "Every one of his routes has a really unique flexibility within the route concept that he and Mahomes really understand."

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That ability was on full display, as Kelce once again broke off a designed route for his touchdown catch Sunday — which both he and Mahomes alluded to afterward, as recorded by NFL Films.

"I'm glad you saw it," Kelce told Mahomes as the quarterback ran to greet him in the end zone. "I didn't know if you were going to [throw] it."

Mahomes, though, still gave his friend some grief for his mid-play adjustment.

"Dude just does what he wants," Mahomes told teammates on the sideline after the play. "He had a corner or a safety [leaving his first route open] and he was like, ‘Nope.' I would have thrown it, and then, ‘Oh, there he goes.’"

Swift, for her part, loved the touchdown as well, celebrating from her seats. She later left the stadium with Kelce and reportedly went out to a restaurant with his family and teammates after the game.