Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid Jokes Travis Kelce is Sometimes the ‘Waterboy’ in Taylor Swift Relationship

Andy Reid knows better than anybody the importance of balance and teamwork when it comes to finding success. 

A well-executed game plan is crucial on the football field, of course, but the Chiefs head coach argued it’s also come in handy in Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift.

“When he goes to her concerts, she's a star,” Reid, 66, told The Athletic’s “Scoop City” podcast hosted by NFL insider Diana Russini and former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel. “And he can be hanging out there and be the support or the waterboy, so he can do that.”

Kelce, 34, became a star himself during Swift’s massive Eras Tour when he joined her onstage for a surprise appearance during a June 23 stop at London’s Wembley Stadium. But his longtime head coach isn’t worried about all of the attention going to his head.

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“He can handle it,” Reid said. “ I think there's a great escape for him.”

As for Swift, 34, Reid argued she gets exactly the same thrill from being a newly-minted member of Chiefs Kingdom. 

“I said that about Taylor, too,” Reid noted. “I mean, she comes to the game, she can kind of escape having to be the show.”

Reid said Kelce has “grown into” fame, thanks in large part to “New Heights,” the podcast the Chiefs tight end cohosts with his brother, Jason Kelce, which Reid called “ridiculous.”

“He’s an outgoing guy,” Reid continued, “I mean, he comes into a room and he’s going to light the room up. Everybody’s his best friend. Until you prove him wrong, everybody’s a friend.”

Kelce isn’t the only member of the Chiefs locker room to have their star ascend under Reid’s tutelage, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes winning two MVP trophies and three Super Bowl MVP honors, becoming a household name in the process. 

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Still, Reid — a native of Los Angeles — isn’t concerned about what the bright lights might do to his star players. 

“I grew up in Hollywood, so I’m OK with it,” Reid said with a laugh. “As long as they’re ready to go. Training camp is kind of that proving ground. If you’re not ready to go, it’s going to be obvious quickly.”

The Chiefs open up training camp on Sunday, July 21, their first step on the journey toward a third-consecutive Super Bowl title. 

New episodes of “Scoop City” drop every Tuesday.