Kansas
Are Travis Kelce’s stats better or worse with Taylor Swift at Kansas City Chiefs games?
Donna Kelce talks new movie, Taylor Swift, and special meaning behind her jersey
In Hallmark’s “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” Donna Kelce is wearing a heartfelt jersey from her son Travis, featuring a sweet message.
USA TODAY
In the city known for rock and roll, will music icon Taylor Swift be in Cleveland to cheer on Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15?
The football star and artist have become one of the most famous couples ever since Swift showed up at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 3 of the 2023 season. Since then, sports and music fans have watched their love story grow as Swift continued her stellar Eras Tour while Kelce and the Chiefs chased a second consecutive Super Bowl. It all culminated in Las Vegas in February when Kansas City won another title and the couple got to celebrate the repeat championship together, and the relationship is still going strong in 2024.
Swift has only been at Kansas City home games this season, but Week 15 could be the first time she’s on site away from Arrowhead Stadium when the Chiefs take on the Cleveland Browns. While her presence for Sunday hasn’t been confirmed, the singer just wrapped her remarkable Eras Tour and doesn’t have any known commitments preventing her from being at Huntington Bank Field.
Could the possibility of Swift’s appearance have an effect on Kelce’s performance? He certainly has seen his stats fluctuate whenever Swift has watched him play, and perhaps something big could be in store on Sunday.
Travis Kelce stats with Taylor Swift in attendance 2024
Swift has been at nearly every Kansas City home game this season. She saw the Chiefs’ season-opening victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Monday night victories over the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the stunning win against the Denver Broncos and the Black Friday game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kelce did have a slow start, but he has picked it up in recent games. In six games with Swift watching, Kelce has a combined 42 catches for 341 receiving yards and one touchdown. That’s an average of seven catches and 56.8 receiving yards per game. Swift was on hand to see Kelce haul in a season-high 14 catches for 100 yards against the Buccaneers. Here are his stats in the games she has attended:
- Week 1 vs. Ravens: three catches, 34 yards
- Week 2 vs. Bengals: one catch, 5 yards
- Week 5 vs. Saints: nine catches, 70 yards
- Week 9 vs. Buccaneers: 14 catches, 100 yards
- Week 10 vs. Broncos: eight catches, 64 yards and one touchdown
- Week 13 vs. Raiders: seven catches, 68 yards
The Chiefs are 6-0 this season with Swift watching live and, dating to last season, are 16-3 when she’s in the crowd.
Travis Kelce stats without Taylor Swift in attendance 2024
Statistically − and in team success − Kelce has done better at home when Swift is watching him play. In the Chiefs seven games she hasn’t attended, Kelce has a combined 38 receptions for 341 receiving yards and one touchdown. That averages to 5.4 catches for 48.7 yards per game, lower than his averages at home. Plus, the Chiefs’ lone loss this season came on the road against the Buffalo Bills.
Here are his stats at the games she has missed:
- Week 3 vs. Falcons: four catches, 30 yards
- Week 4 vs. Chargers: seven catches, 89 yards
- Week 7 vs. 49ers: four catches, 17 yards
- Week 8 vs. Raiders: 10 catches, 90 yards and one touchdown
- Week 11 vs. Bills: two catches, 8 yards
- Week 12 vs. Panthers: six catches, 62 yards
- Week 14 vs. Chargers: five catches, 45 yards
Kansas City is 6-1 when Swift isn’t there and 10-3 in that situation dating to last season.
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Kansas
Caitlin Clark sits with Taylor Swift at Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans NFL playoff
Lisa Bluder weighs in on Caitlin Clark’s WNBA success and current women’s NCAA season
Former Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder stops by to discuss life after basketball and her new partnership with Gamechanger.
Caitlin Clark has never been shy about her Kansas City Chiefs fandom, and her superstardom allowed her to enjoy Saturday’s game with coveted company.
The Iowa women’s basketball legend and reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was spotted in the same box as Taylor Swift during the team’s NFL Divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans.
According to Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star, Swift invited Clark to the game when Clark attended one of the pop star’s Eras Tour concerts.
Clark and Swift were even caught on camera chatting during the game.
Swift is famously dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is trying to help his team become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions.
Kansas
Chiefs vs. Texans: Divisional Round Preview, Score Predictions
After a long wait thanks to a first-round bye, Kansas City Chiefs playoff football is officially back. Saturday will see the reigning Super Bowl champions host the Houston Texans, a team they recently faced off against less than a month ago. This time around, the stakes are even higher and both sides will duke it out with a spot in the conference title game on the line.
How will the game unfold? The Kansas City Chiefs On SI crew makes its predictions for the divisional round of the postseason.
Joshua Brisco: Against all recent history, I’m picking the Chiefs to do something they never did in the 2024 regular season: score more than 30 points in a game. This isn’t all about the Chiefs’ playoff experience and pursuit of history, either. The offense — with a healthy Hollywood Brown and a well-rested suite of weapons — finally has enough firepower to make fans forget the slow-and-steady offensive slogs of KC’s midseason survival. I find myself becoming more worried aboutJoe Thuney and Mike Caliendo at left tackle and left guard than most, but Thuney should be stable enough to prevent any disasters. With the return of cornerback Jaylen Watson, the Chiefs may also have the league’s best remaining defense.
Prediction: Chiefs 31, Texans 13
Jordan Foote: With all due respect to DeMeco Ryans and the Texans, we’ve seen this type of game unfold before. Despite Houston boasting a tremendous defense, Kansas City has the benefit when it comes to quarterback play, coaching, rest and playing environment. Add in a fired-up Travis Kelce and the returns of Watson and Chris Jones, and you’ve got a recipe for a win. I’m rolling with another eight-point Chiefs-Texans margin, albeit with the visitors doing some window-dressing late to make things look closer than they actually were.
Prediction: Chiefs 31, Texans 23
Zack Eisen: Between sitting players in the season’s final week and having the bye, it seems like the Chiefs haven’t played in forever. The good news is the extra time allowed them to get a key piece back in Jaylen Watson. The defense was easily one of the best in the league when he was in the lineup, and it would be great to see that version return for the playoffs. On the other side of the ball, it’s playoff Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid. This may be the first time the Chiefs score more than 30 points all season. I expect a dominant performance from this team, as they have been waiting all year to get to the postseason.
Prediction: Chiefs 35, Texans 16
Mark Van Sickle: The Chiefs tend to dominate the divisional round under Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. They are playing an opponent they just beat a few weeks ago and coming off plenty of rest to get ready for this playoff push. The Texans are a solid team and worthy opponent, but there is too much on the line for the Chiefs to lose at home in this spot. The defense will have everyone available to them for the first time all season (Charles Omenihu started the season on injured reserve, then Watson was on it when he came back), and that’s not good for the Texans who have had injury issues all season on offense. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ offense will be about as healthy as it’s been all season as well. Look for Mahomes to be Mahomes and the Chiefs to win and actually cover the spread!
Prediction: Chiefs 31, Texans 17
Read More: Andy Reid Ensuring Chiefs Are ‘Tunneled In’ Despite Magnitude of Possible Three-Peat
Kansas
Oregon loses volleyball coach Matt Ulmer to Kansas, begins national search for new leader
Oregon is on the market for a new volleyball coach.
Matt Ulmer was named the new coach at Kansas on Friday, ending his successful eight-year run as a Duck.
“My staff and I are ready to give our all for the future success of Jayhawk volleyball,” Ulmer was quoted as saying in press release from Kansas. “I’m beyond excited to get to Lawrence and meet the team, start practice and get better every day.
“The past 11 seasons in Eugene have given us memories and relationships that will last forever.”
Oregon volleyball begins search to replace head coach Matt Ulmer
Oregon assistant Erika Dillard will serve as interim head coach as the athletic department conducts a national search for a new head coach, said Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens in a statement released by the school Friday.
“We look forward to finding a new coach who will build upon the strong foundation in place for our program and provide a world-class student-athlete experience,” Mullens said.
Ulmer guided Oregon volleyball to 7 NCAA Tournament appearances
During his eight seasons as head coach, Ulmer’s teams went 166-77 with seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including three trips to the Elite Eight and five Sweet 16s.
Oregon won at least 22 matches in each of the last four seasons, including in 2024 when the Ducks went 24-8 overall, 14-6 in their first season of Big Ten Conference play, and made the Sweet 16. Kansas was 25-5 in 2024 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“We want to thank Matt for all of his efforts and successful seasons with the Oregon volleyball program,” Mullens said. “We extend our best wishes to him and his family in this next phase of their journey.”
Ulmer accused of pressuring injured player to transfer or medically retire
Ulmer’s time at Oregon also wasn’t without controversy.
He was named head coach in 2017 after the contentious departure of former coach Jim Moore — the program’s all-time leader with 246 wins — who resigned after complaints about his coaching style and despite nearly two dozen former players publicly voicing support for Moore.
Ulmer, who had been on Moore’s staff for three seasons as an assistant coach or associate head coach, was quickly named Moore’s replacement.
In 2022, former player Taylor Williams made allegations that she was played when she wasn’t healthy, misled by Oregon on the severity of her injury, then was pressured and harassed by Ulmer to either transfer or medically retire. Those allegations led to an independent investigation.
Ducks saw success in 2022, 2023 under Ulmer
On the court in 2022, Ulmer guided the Ducks to a 26-6 record and a 17-3 mark in Pac-12 play to set a program record for conference wins in a season.
Oregon’s postseason run came to an end in a five-set thriller against Louisville in the Elite Eight and the Ducks ended the season ranked No. 7 in the final AVCA poll.
In 2023 the Ducks also finished ranked No. 7 after going 29-6 and making the Elite Eight.
Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can reach him at chansen@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @chansen_RG
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