The Red Flags We Can't Ignore In Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce's Relationship

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have quickly become one of the most followed couples in the world, with fans clocking their every move, decoding their body language, and trying to decipher the nuances of their relationship. While things have largely looked good between the singer and football superstar, there are red flags that have cropped up. The two began dating in the summer of 2023, later going public with their relationship went public that fall. Since then, the couple has generated endless cultural fascination, with fans speculating about a possible engagement and even kids. After all, between the many love lessons that we've learned from Swift, we're naturally going to get invested.

There's no doubt that the relationship has left a mark on both parties. In terms of style, Swift has undergone a transformation since she started dating the football player. There's no denying that she's left a mark on him, too, least of all the fact that he's become a lot more famous thanks to his proximity to her. And in many respects, they appear to have a great connection. In fact, there's a science behind Kelce and Swift's winning relationship. But that doesn't mean it's perfect. Now, we can't possibly know what goes on behind closed doors, but we have noticed some things that certainly have the potential to be red flags. To discuss this, Women.com reached out to matchmaker Susan Trombetti, CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking, to understand what's concerning about Swift and Kelce.

This detail isn't exactly their fault, but there's no denying that public audiences are inundated with every minute piece of information pertaining to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship. Matchmaker Susan Trombetti told Women.com that audiences are getting a little fatigued by their relationship being an ever-present news story. "These two are overexposed and people are frankly sick of hearing about them. It happens," she said. As a cultural unit, they're overly featured. 

Trombetti looked back at another couple where this was the case. "Remember Ben [Affleck] and Jen [Lopez] before the 2nd go-round 20 years ago. Some say that contributed to Ben's career suffering." Commenting on how Kelce's team, the Kansas City Chiefs, lost the 2025 Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles, Trombetti spoke about Kelce's career and media coverage around Swift at his games. "While I don't attribute that to Travis' team's Super Bowl loss, we sure were glad when they only showed Taylor once during the Super Bowl," she explained. "It can be too much sometimes." To be fair, Swift and Kelce would probably agree with this assessment, and seem to try and stay out of the public eye as much as possible. Swift has frequently used a fish bowl symbolically in her songs and music videos as an illustration of how much public scrutiny comes with dating her. So she and Kelce quite likely wish for more privacy than they get. 

Another red flag between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce emerged after the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas 2023. According to Life & Style, the stress of his loss put Kelce in a bad mood and he was short with Swift, spawning their first argument. An insider told the outlet, "The game pretty much ruined Taylor and Travis' holidays. Travis wasn't himself for days after. He snapped at Taylor and they had their first fight. He apologized after but Taylor definitely felt hurt and confused. It was rough."

In light of this, matchmaker Susan Trombetti talked to Women.com about later losses for Kelce, such as the 2025 Super Bowl. "His Super Bowl loss was something that left me wondering if he was going to be in a foul mood with Taylor afterward," she told us. "That shouldn't be. Don't forget his Christmas Day loss to the Las Vegas Raiders where he professed he wasn't himself for days. He snapped at Taylor which sparked one of their very first arguments, if not the first, if you believe what's been reported." This is concerning, Trombetti noted, if Kelce allows career disappointments to impact his romantic relationship, particularly since football losses are not remotely Swift's fault. 

There's no denying that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are in two very different professions. For Kelce, as for all professional football players, retirement will come sooner than it does for most people, whereas Swift could (hopefully!) go on writing music and performing for the rest of her life. For matchmaker Susan Trombetti, this could spell potential trouble for the couple. "His eventual retirement, which he contemplated this year, is bound to happen sooner than later," she explained to Women.com. "You know it's coming even though he is going back for Fall 2025." 

The average NFL player retires at around 27, due to the high-impact nature of the game and the likelihood of injury. When Kelce played in the 2025 Super Bowl, he was 35, so he's already staying on past the typical age of most players. The brief careers of NFL players might be hard on the bond between Swift and Kelce. "Retirement changes the dynamic in a relationship," Trombetti told Women.com. "Football is all he ever knew and if suddenly, he isn't a star, where is that going to leave his ego next to her star wattage which isn't burning out anytime soon?" It's certainly something to think about. Swift and Kelce are used to supporting each other's huge moments; he cheers her on while she's on tour, and she cheers him on when he's playing. When that dynamic shifts, things might get tough for the two. 

Taylor Swift has an incredible business acumen and a brilliant ability to market herself and stay relevant. She largely attempts to keep away from controversy, and doesn't embroil herself in media scandals. She deftly utilizes social media to her advantage, and it's one of the many reasons her career has been so successful. Travis Kelce, on the other hand, has had a few bumps along the way with media. Back in 2016, he was on an E! dating show called "Catching Kelce," and many of his quirkier tweets on X have resurfaced since he started dating Swift, revealing that the internet never forgets.   

Susan Trombetti predicts this could be a problem between the two. "Maybe it's just that he isn't as media savvy as to how things can come back to haunt you," Trombetti told us. "He did live in a football bubble most of his life until meeting Taylor. His dating show left him looking back regretting his behavior." Before he and Swift got together, he said on his podcast "New Heights" that he needed to meet a breeder. Trombetti noted comments like this as potentially problematic. "It's sort of harmless, but either he is lacking in class or hasn't learned about media scrutiny," she noted. However, this side of Kelce might actually be a good thing. "I think he is real enough though to keep Taylor grounded," she added. It hasn't been an issue so far, and it might prove to be nothing. 

According to our expert, Susan Trombetti, Taylor Swift's age and potential desire to start a family could be another factor in her relationship with Travis Kelce. At the time of the 2025 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Swift, like Kelce, was 35 years old. "There could be pressure on Taylor since her biological clock is ticking, and this might blind her a bit," Trombetti noted, and this could add a different kind of pressure to their relationship. "If he isn't the one, she could want him to be the one so badly that she settles for him." 

Trombetti was quick to note that should Swift and Kelce start a family, it's not to say that she is forcing something along that's not meant to be. It's just that the pressure to start a family can be an added stress for many couples. "It doesn't mean she is settling for him, it's just that it is a possibility and a mistake a lot of women make at this age," Trombetti said. In spite of these potential red flags, though, Trombetti added that Swift and Kelce do, genuinely, seem solid. "That doesn't mean that it's perfect or they will get married, but they seem to be happy," she said. And for a star we're rooting for, this is a great thing.