LAS VEGAS -- Like it or not, Super Bowl LVIII isn't just about the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. It's also about a pop-culture moment; specifically, the celebrity pairing of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Football fans should be excused if they're tired of the storyline. The culminating matchup of the NFL season has nothing to do -- on paper, at least -- with the Grammy-winning singer, who just happens to be dating one of the Chiefs' top players.
But few things have captivated attention, or boosted TV ratings, quite like Swift's newfound allegiance to Kansas City, with Kelce himself answering dozens of questions about their relationship in the lead-up to the big game.
How did we get here? What's next? Here's a timeline of the couple's headline-grabbing journey:
July 8, 2023: Travis Kelce attends Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour" at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs, along with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.
July 26, 2023: Kelce reveals on his "New Heights" podcast, co-hosted with brother Jason Kelce, that he tried and failed to meet Swift after her July 8 tour date in K.C. "Disappointed" that Swift "doesn't talk before or after her shows," he claims he also attempted to give Swift a friendship bracelet "with my number on it."
Sept. 14, 2023: Kelce evades questions from NFL Media about his attempt to contact Swift, playfully declining to confirm whether the pop star has returned his request to connect. A day later, his brother, Jason, jokes on "Thursday Night Football" that Travis is "having fun," but doesn't confirm whether Swift is in the picture.
Sept. 20, 2023: Now-defunct news outlet The Messenger reports that Kelce and Swift have begun "quietly hanging out" and exchanging text messages. Jason Kelce, meanwhile, tells 94 WIP that he believes rumors of the relationship are "100% true" and that "they're doing great," expressing hope for his brother's relationship.
Sept. 21, 2023: Kelce teases the relationship further, telling "The Pat McAfee Show" that he's invited Swift to watch him play: "I threw the ball in her court and, you know, I told her, 'I've seen you rock the stage at Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit.'"
Sept. 24, 2023: Swift attends the Chiefs' Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears, watching from Kelce's suite alongside his mother, Donna. Later, after the game, Kelce and Swift are seen walking out of Arrowhead Stadium together. Two days later, Kelce reveals on his podcast that he drove Swift in his convertible after the 41-10 victory, in which he led the team in receiving.
Sept. 25, 2023: Reports indicate that Fanatics-licensed sales of Kelce jerseys spiked 400% in the wake of Swift's support.
Oct. 1, 2023: Swift attends her second straight Chiefs game, traveling to New Jersey for K.C.'s Week 4 game against the New York Jets. Kelce leads the Chiefs in receiving yards, and his team wins 23-20.
Oct. 12, 2023: Swift returns to Arrowhead Stadium, sharing a suite with Donna Kelce and Brittany Mahomes, to watch Kelce and the Chiefs host the Denver Broncos. Kelce leads the team in receiving yards, and his team wins 19-8.
Oct. 15, 2023: Tabloids share pictures of Kelce and Swift holding hands after the premiere of a "Saturday Night Live" episode, during which they made separate surprise cameos.
Oct. 22, 2023: Swift attends yet another Chiefs game -- this time a Week 7 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers -- and debuts a handshake with Brittany Mahomes while wearing a friendship bracelet featuring Kelce's jersey number, 87. Kelce once again leads the Chiefs in receiving as K.C. wins 31-17.
Nov. 11, 2023: Kelce attends Swift's latest "Eras Tour" stop in Buenos Aires, Argentina, alongside Swift's father, Scott. During the show, Swift changes lyrics to her song "Karma" to reference Kelce, singing that "the guy on the Chiefs" is "coming straight home to me." After the concert, Swift is seen running into an embrace with Kelce.
Nov. 20, 2023: Kelce tells The Wall Street Journal that someone inside Swift's camp actually reached out to help orchestrate their first date months earlier, and that his friends and family were nervous for his first encounters with the pop star.
Dec. 3, 2023: Swift attends the Chiefs' Week 13 game against the Green Bay Packers, a 27-19 loss.
Dec. 6, 2023: Freshly named TIME magazine's Person of the Year, Swift tells Vanity Fair that she and Kelce are, in fact, a couple, and that she's learned that "football is awesome" while supporting him and the Chiefs.
Dec. 10-Jan. 13, 2024: Swift attends each of the Chiefs' final three home games of the 2023 regular season, wearing K.C. apparel in her suite, as well as the team's first playoff game -- a 26-7 rout of the Miami Dolphins.
Jan. 21, 2024: Swift shares a suite with Kelce's brother, Jason, for the first time, watching the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills, 27-24. Jason goes viral for removing his shirt and loudly celebrating Travis' postseason success while hanging out of the box.
Jan. 28, 2024: Swift takes the field in Baltimore after Kelce and the Chiefs beat the Ravens to advance to Super Bowl LVIII, kissing the star tight end before ushering him to a post-game celebration with teammates.
Feb. 5, 2024: Kelce, Mahomes and other Chiefs field questions about Swift at Super Bowl Opening Night, calling the relationship "great" but insisting Kelce and the rest of the team are focused on beating the 49ers in the championship game.
Feb. 10, 2024: Swift performs her "Eras Tour" in Tokyo. Afterward, fans online indicate they've tracked her private flight from Japan, which she reportedly hurried to catch in an effort to reach Las Vegas and attend Super Bowl LVIII the following day.
