Donna Kelce, Travis Kelce’s mom, is unaccustomed to the limelight but is ready to dismiss any critics that may come her way.
Amid swirling romance rumors involving Travis (33) and Taylor Swift, Donna (70) finds herself in the public eye. Recent headlines featured her sitting next to Swift as Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over the Chicago Bears. On October 1, she reunited with the pop star to support her son in the game against the New York Jets.
Donna, a familiar face in the football world, gained attention during the Super Bowl LVII in February when her sons faced off. However, the unexpected fan frenzy resulting from her time with Swift caught her off guard.
“I feel like I’m in an alternate universe because it’s something that I’ve never been involved with ever before,” Donna said on the upcoming Friday, October 6, episode of the “Got It From My Momma” podcast, per Entertainment Tonight.
When it comes to blocking out any negativity, the matriarch turns to a particular Swift song. “I think probably ‘Shake It Off,’” she said when asked her favorite track of the Grammy winners. “We’re getting a lot of that lately, about haters.”
Donna’s recent spotlight isn’t solely due to Swift. Before joining A-listers such as Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Hugh Jackman, and Sophie Turner at Metlife Stadium, she first supported her son Jason Kelce and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. A viral photo of her chatting with Jake from State Farm (Kevin Miles) in the stands later set the internet ablaze.
“Obviously, at the Eagles, was probably the biggest celebrity she saw all week. She sat next to Jake from State Farm the entire game. And let me tell you … that guy’s a good neighbor,” Jason, 35, joked of his mom’s “whirlwind” weekend on the Wednesday, October 4, episode of his and Travis’ “New Heights” podcast.
“She’s been on top of the f–king world, man,” Travis, 33, replied, noting that it’s been “cool” to see Donna become a star in her own right over the past year.
“Shout-out to Mama Kelce for coming through [for my game]. She also told me thank you because she was in an alternate universe,” Travis said of Donna’s A-list experience. “She was sitting there with Deadpool and Wolverine … just in a different world.”
Travis has seen a surge in popularity beyond the NFL since his connection with Swift. Following the singer’s appearance at his Missouri game on September 24, his jersey sales skyrocketed by over 400%. Despite their strong connection, Travis believes that the attention they’re receiving might be excessive.
“I think it’s fun when they show who all’s at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching. But at the same time, I think … they’re overdoing it a little bit, for sure, especially in my situation,” he said on “New Heights” of the NFL constantly cutting to Swift during his games. He went on to tease that stars should be on high alert in front of the cameras. “You never know, you could get caught throwing a big old cheeseburger in [your mouth] and you look like an idiot,” he joked. “There’s certain things … you just don’t want to be on TV at all times.”
While NFL coverage may diminish, global interest in Travis and Swift’s growing romance remains high. A recent exclusive source told Us Weekly that Swift has “high hopes” for the relationship, expressing admiration for the athlete’s appeal. Another insider added that Travis is “totally smitten” by the singer.