How Taylor Swift's Super Bowl turned to sombre boos

The atmosphere of the second "Taylor-Travis Bowl" was somewhat subdued, a stark contrast to the romance-filled game before. At last year's Super Bowl, after the Kansas City Chiefs won their second consecutive Super Bowl title, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce shared a passionate kiss on the field of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, as red and gold confetti rained down, marking their first public celebration as a celebrity couple from the sports and music worlds.

However, after the Chiefs lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22, the couple did not celebrate on the field or anywhere else. Last year, television cameras were constantly focused on the pop superstar, capturing Swift winning a beer-chugging contest and reveling with celebrity friends, including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey. The cameras ensured to catch every exciting moment.

This year, when Swift's image appeared on the video screen at the Superdome during the first quarter break, she was met with boos from a large contingent of Eagles fans. Sitting next to rapper Ice Spice, Swift frowned and looked aside when she realized the boos were directed at her. In the second half, the cameras noticeably reduced their focus on her. This change in attention was quite evident.

Perhaps her shutout at last week's Grammy Awards foreshadowed this. In 2024, a week before celebrating the Super Bowl with Kelce, she won Album of the Year, her 14th Grammy Award of her career. That period could be said to be the peak of Taylor and Travis' relationship, although their star power has not dimmed since. Following the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift was at the height of her "Eras Tour" and held a concert in Tokyo before heading to Las Vegas to watch the game.

This year, she easily made it to New Orleans in time for a double date with Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany. On Friday night, the two couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District. On the eve of the big game, Swift was also spotted dining at Gianna's with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim. She seemed to be enjoying her time.

Earlier on Sunday, the focus was on what would happen if Swift found herself on the field after the game, celebrating Kelce's third consecutive Super Bowl victory, and fourth overall. Would he choose that moment to propose? BetMGM offered odds of $8 for those willing to bet on it. But that possibility was extinguished before the game ended. The excitement was palpable, but short-lived.

With Swift in attendance, the Chiefs' record was 19-4. This was the first time she had seen them lose in the playoffs. The 35-year-old Kelce has been noncommittal about whether he will continue to play next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are preparing for his possible retirement. Kelce has been preparing for his post-retirement career, building a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and appearing on "Saturday Night Live" and other television shows. He seems ready for a transition.

Swift and Kelce became a couple early last season, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the pop superstar to watch him play against the Bears. Kelce had tried unsuccessfully to give Swift a friendship bracelet when she performed at Arrowhead Stadium. As his season and her world tour progressed simultaneously, their relationship blossomed, culminating in that Super Bowl. Their relationship has been a whirlwind.