Travis Kelce took a tough hit during the Chiefs’ Monday Night Football game against the New Orleans Saints — and the player who tackled him has a special connection to the tight end’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift.
Travis, 35, was knocked to the ground in the third quarter of the Monday Night Football matchup between Kansas City and New Orleans at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday, Oct. 7 when Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders tackled the Chiefs’ tight end during a defensive play.
All’s fair in love and football, of course, but the tough takedown from Khalen, 28, happened as his brother, Kameron Saunders, was in attendance with Swift, 34.
Kameron, 32, is a fan-favorite dancer on Swift’s hugely successful Eras Tour, and has been working with the “So High School” singer since before her romance with Kelce began.
Travis’ brother Jason Kelce shared his reaction to the moment on X (formerly Twitter).
“I hate that that happened, but that’s a hell of a play by former Chief @khalenNOTkaylenhe was moving for a big man!!” he wrote.
Former NFL player JJ Watt also shared his thoughts on the social media platform.
‘Taylor Swift’s backup dancer’s brother Khalen Saunders just tackled her boyfriend Travis Kelce to stop him from scoring a touchdown. On the next play, he intercepted Patrick Mahomes in the end zone.’ Did not anticipate explaining that to Kealia when she walked down the stairs,” he wrote.
Luckily, Travis appeared uninjured after the collision and returned to the game.
Saints’ Khalen Saunders collides with Chiefs’ Travis Kelce during Monday Night Football at Arrowhead Stadium on October 7, 2024.
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Before the game, Khalen and Kameron, 32, posed for a sweet photo by the Saints on the sidelines at Arrowhead Stadium.
Khalen was teammates with Travis in Kansas City for three years and won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs in 2019 and 2022 until he signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.
Former Kansas City Chief Khalen Saunders; Taylor Swift cheering for the Chiefs.
Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty; David Eulitt/Getty
The invisible string between the Saunders brothers and the superstar couple of Swift and Kelce is long — the Saints player even called Swift the “goat” after he took his daughter to see Kameron in concert with her in March 2023 — months before she would begin dating his then-teammate.
“Just to think, my babies have seen their dad AND their Tete Goofy perform on a world stage,” Khalen wrote on social media at the time, sharing videos of Kameron dancing and his daughter proudly watching her uncle. “Excellent show last night @taylorswift you might really be the 🐐.”
“And to my big brother, continue to inspire,” Khalen added to his post after seeing the Eras Tour — which Swift will kick back up on Oct. 18 in Miami. “Myself, all those hopeful dancers, and the rest of the world needs people like you to look to when you need hope. Love you ❤️🤞🏾”
Ahead of the Chiefs matchup against the Saints in Week 5, Khalen joked that his brother better still be rooting for him during the game as the attempt to defeat Kameron’s “boss’s” boyfriend’s team.
“I was here first,” Khalen said teasingly when a reporter asked him if his brother had revealed his loyalties for Monday’s contest.
“He’s going to be on my side,” Khalen said, quipping, “He ain’t going to be cheering for the Chiefs…He’s going to be cheering for me because I’m paying for his ticket.”
