This past week was filled with activity for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce. Travis hosted his fifth annual Tight End University summit in Nashville, Tennessee, while Jason organized the 2025 Shore Birds Event in Sea Isle, New Jersey. Travis’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, joined him at the three-day gathering and performed unexpectedly at the Tight Ends & Friends Concert, delighting attendees with a rendition of “Shake It Off.” Meanwhile, Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelce, co-hosted a fundraiser for ESPN analyst Team 62, which successfully raised $1 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Social Media Tease Sparks Excitement Among Taylor Swift Fans
Leading up to a new episode of the podcast New Heights, the Kelce brothers posted a message on X offering to release a teaser early if the tweet reached 13,000 likes. Since the number 13 is closely associated with Taylor Swift, her fans quickly responded, hitting the target within two hours. Given Swift’s recent presence at Tight End University, many anticipated that she would be the upcoming guest on the show.
Unexpected Guest Announcement Disappoints Swift Supporters
As promised, the New Heights podcast revealed the promo earlier than planned on Monday. It included a nod to Swift’s surprise concert in Nashville but announced Brad Pitt as the featured guest for the week rather than Swift herself. While Pitt’s appearance brought notable star power to the episode, many Swift followers said they felt misled by the initial tease.
Fan Reactions Highlight Discontent Over the Tease
Several fans expressed their frustration across social media platforms. One user bluntly wrote “CLOWNED,” while another reacted with “not the 13k bait.” Another Swift enthusiast simply commented “RUDE.” Additional responses included,
“Yall said let’s play the swifties into getting more engagement and we ate that [expletive] up,”
as well as
“I’m taking back my like, bye.”
Further criticism noted the deliberate use of 13,000 likes as a tactic, with one user stating,
“they knew exactly what they were doing with the specific 13k don’t talk to me.”
Significance and Looking Ahead
The mix of star appearances and fan reactions illustrates the strong connection between Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift, and their enthusiastic audiences. While Brad Pitt’s inclusion expands the podcast’s appeal beyond sports and music, the episode also underscores the sensitivity around anticipation and engagement in fan communities. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how the Kelce brothers balance surprises with fan expectations on future episodes of New Heights.