Taylor Swift’s performance at Tight End University in Nashville last week wasn’t a surprise to everyone.
During Wednesday’s installment of the “New Heights” podcast, star Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce explained that he and the 14-time Grammy winner pre-planned her on-stage appearance at the Tight Ends & Friends event, where she performed a rendition of her hit song “Shake It Off” with country singer Kane Brown.
“We’re in Nashville, she grew up in Nashville, she moved there when she was younger, and yeah, we had this planned for a while that we were going to have some fun with the tight ends, especially tight ends and friends, all the evening events,” Kelce told his brother and co-host, Jason Kelce.
“I’ll say this, I won’t say when the idea came up, but when we were there at tight end and friends, and we knew there was a professional like Kane Brown, who can figure it out, he’s a pro, he’s been on stage a million times he’s not shy at all by any means, he’s a true professional.
“Tay just kind of went up to him and the band and was just like, ‘Hey, if you guys are down, I’ll go up there and play a song and see if we can pop the roof of this place.’ She’s so good with everybody, just people and making people feel comfortable in it and rocked the stage yet again. It was awesome.”
The three-time Super Bowl champ explained that Swift wrote sheet music for the band, adding she “killed it,” despite not practicing before hitting the Brooklyn Bowl stage in Tennessee.
Swift played the guitar while the crowd sang along to her 2014 smash single, including Kelce, who was seen backstage in social media videos.
It marked her first live performance since her blockbuster Eras Tour wrapped on Dec. 8, 2024, in Vancouver.
“Was this her first time in an event sponsored by Dude Wipes?” Jason asked.
“It has to be the first and only, I would assume,” the Chiefs star jokingly replied.
Swift joined Kelce at this year’s TEU for multiple events, where she spent time with other wives and girlfriends of fellow tight ends, including Claire Kittle, the wife of 49ers’ George Kittle.
Kelce, Kittle and retired tight end Greg Olsen co-founded TEU in 2021 in Nashville as a means for other tight ends to train and bond over the position.