J.J. Watt Reveals What Was Nearly a Taylor Swift 'Red Flag'

Former football defensive end J.J. Watt has said it would have been a "red flag" if Taylor Swift didn't like Travis Kelce's brother, Jason Kelce.

Swift has been a regular attendee at Kansas City Chiefs games since her first appearance alongside the brothers' mother, Donna Kelce, at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24. When Time magazine labeled Swift its Person of the Year in 2023, she told the publication that she had secretly begun dating Travis Kelce in July.

While the pair have been in a relationship for months now, Swift only met Jason Kelce and his wife, Kylie Kelce, for the first time on Sunday as they watched Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs' Division Round game against the Buffalo Bills. At the game, Jason Kelce was seen shirtless and chugging beer in the VIP suite after his brother scored a touchdown.

During the January 24 episode of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee said that Swift liked Jason Kelce—and Watt said it would have been a bad sign if she didn't.

Newsweek contacted spokespeople for Swift, Watt and Jason Kelce for comment via email Thursday.

"We do have it on good authority from the New Heights podcast that Tay absolutely loved Jason Kelce so she's a human," McAfee said.

Watt responded: "Tough not to, I mean it would have been a pretty big red flag if she didn't like Jason."

Elsewhere in the episode, Watt and McAfee discussed Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship, which they both approve of.

"We're thankful that she's dating a football guy OK, we are very thankful that Travis Kelce is representing football as well as he is for all the Swifties," McAfee said, to which Watt agreed.

Watt added: "He's doing a good job man, he's doing a good job. It's not easy like he doesn't have an easy place there to balance everything, I mean obviously dating literally the most famous pop star in the world and also being on a team in the AFC Championship game and handling everything that comes with that.

"I think you've got to give credit to Trav he's done a good job and he's handled it all well and he seems to be in a very happy and healthy relationship."

He continued: "Her fans love [the relationship] they just want to see her happy."

Newsweek contacted Travis Kelce's publicist for comment via email Thursday.

In an episode of the New Heights podcast, Jason Kelce opened up on the moment he went viral in the game by ripping his shirt off after Travis Kelce scored the first of his two touchdowns for the game.

"[Kylie] was telling me to be on my best behavior because we're meeting Taylor," Jason Kelce told his brother.

He spoke of how he had forewarned Kylie Kelce that he planned to rip his shirt off at some point in the game, but was warned against doing so because Swift would be there.

"I'm thinking, 'I'm not asking for permission, I'm doing it'," Jason Kelce explained, to which Travis Kelce replied: "Once a Kelce man's determined, there's no f****** stopping them."

Jason Kelce then revealed the first time he met Kylie Kelce he was "black-out drunk at the bar" but that was "part of the Jason Kelce charm," and he wanted to make a good first impression on Swift.

Travis Kelce responded: "Tay said she absolutely loved you."