Travis Kelce Expresses Interest in Attending Kamala Harris’ DNC Speech Amid NFL Commitments
(chiefs)
Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end, reportedly expressed interest in attending Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Thursday night. This comes despite Kelce previously sharing his excitement at the prospect of meeting former President Donald Trump at the White House.
According to CBS, Kelce reached out to Harris’ campaign about attending the DNC after she was announced as the replacement for President Joe Biden. However, the Chiefs were scheduled for preseason action against the Chicago Bears that same evening. While Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes did not play in the game to avoid injury before the regular season, they remained on the sidelines to support their teammates, with football ultimately taking precedence.
Kelce reportedly communicated with Harris’ team about his desire to fly to Chicago for the DNC. There were also rumors that his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, might appear and endorse Harris at the event. This interest in attending the DNC marks an intriguing shift for Kelce, who previously expressed enthusiasm about meeting Trump.
Back in 2020, the Chiefs’ planned visit to the White House following their Super Bowl LIV victory was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kelce had seemed disappointed by the missed opportunity to meet Trump, telling TMZ, “Oh, yeah! Always, man! Crazy opportunity!” when asked if he would join his teammates in visiting the president.
Trump has had an interesting relationship with the Chiefs, notably congratulating the state of Kansas after their Super Bowl win, despite the team being based in Missouri. He also claimed that the Chiefs were eager to visit Washington, saying, “Every one of them wants to be here. And the coach loves us. The coach is great. Andy Reid.”
Before Super Bowl LVIII, right-wing conspiracy theorists speculated that the NFL might rig the game in favor of the Chiefs to create a moment where Swift and Kelce, a prominent couple, could celebrate and provide a platform for Swift to endorse the Democratic ticket ahead of the election. After the Chiefs’ victory, President Biden humorously trolled these speculations by posting a meme of himself with laser beams shooting from his eyes, captioned, “Just like we drew it up.”
Swift, who has become increasingly vocal on political issues in recent years, has supported LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, and gun safety reform. She endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and has previously stated that she wished she had been more outspoken against Trump during the 2016 election.
