TikTok trend has women telling men no one knew Travis Kelce before he dated Taylor Swift

By Alma Fabiani

Published Sep 30, 2023 at 09:15 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

49849

I don’t know about you, but up until America’s sweetheart Taylor Swift was spotted cheering on NFL player Travis Kelce at his team’s—aka the Kansas City Chiefs—home game on Sunday 24 September 2023, I had never heard of the man. Not to hate on American football or anything, but obviously, I wasn’t the only one.

A new TikTok trend has got women filming their partner’s reactions as they purposefully state that they had no idea who Kelce was until the recent dating rumours. As you can imagine, this ‘triggering’ revelation often leads boyfriends, husbands and dads alike to react in surprised, if not annoyed, ways. How could they suggest that Swift put Kelce, “like, the best tight end in football, maybe ever,” as one husband said, on the map?

@taraalthaus

Somewhat triggered by what I said #taylorswift #traviskelce

♬ original sound - Tara Althaus

While a lot of the women posting these videos are only pretending not to know who Kelce is—I guess being American also comes with instant knowledge about American football, or at least top NFL players—I can guarantee that a fair number of them are actually being honest. The Swift nation is far stronger than any puny football star, no?

@chelsrech

Taylor made him famous 🏆 #swifttok #kelce

♬ original sound - chelsrech

Sure, Kelce has over 3.3 million followers on Instagram, but what’s that compared to Swiftie’s 273 million followers? Sure, Kelce’s like super good at football, but did he break 92 Guinness World Records? Nope, Miss T.Swizzle did.

Regardless of what you think and whose side you take, it’s interesting to see how this TikTok trend has men all worked up about a statement as silly and insignificant as this one. It’s reminiscent of the previous trend that took TikTok by storm, another amusingly gender-specific obsession, this time with the Roman Empire.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past two weeks, the meme prompted women to approach the men in their lives and ask them how often they think about the Roman Empire. Clips of boyfriends, husbands, dads, and brothers (most of whom have probably never stepped foot into Italy) casually admitting that they think about the Roman Empire often, even multiple times per week or day in some cases, quickly went viral on the video-sharing platform.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ashh_taylorrrrr/video/7278925950920772865
@abbieherbert

THE END HAHAHA #romanempire #trend #itsajoke #fyp #husbandwife

♬ Funny - Gold-Tiger
@inesraemusic

the holy empire #romanempire #mydad #fypシ #dadsoftiktok #romanempire🇮🇹 #howoften

♬ original sound - INÉS RAE

Understandably, female creators responded with complete bewilderment at the shared obsession, going as far as to discuss their own version of the Roman Empire. Princess Diana, Gossip Girl’s Thanksgiving episode, the Tudors, the Titanic, and Tom Holland’s iconic Lip Sync Battle performance all made the list.

@screenshothq

Asking boyfriends how often they think about the Roman Empire has been the latest trend to go viral, with the answers taking everyone by surprise. But it’s got women thinking, what is the female equivalent to the Roman Empire? Is it the Titanic? Is it Princess Diana? Or is it that ICONIC Gossip Girl Thanksgiving moment? 😉 Welcome back to Episode 22 of Reel Talk, a weekly series where we break down provocative and reactive viral videos, serving bold commentary every week 🌶️ #romanempire #thetitanic #theromanovs #gossipgirl #princessdiana #thetudors #romanempiretrend

♬ Lo-fi hip hop - NAO-K

If you’re a male reading this, it really doesn’t matter whether you think about the Roman Empire often, or whether you believe that Swift is the only reason Kelce’s name is currently on everybody’s lips. Just like we know that you guys are mostly thinking about Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, we can also admit that Kelce doesn’t owe his career to the ‘Cruel Summer’ singer without having an aneurysm.

Keep On Reading

By Charlie Sawyer

Taylor Swift impersonator pranks fans with bodyguards and instantly regrets it

By Mason Berlinka

Taylor Swift teases Ice Spice collab only months after rumoured boyfriend Matty Healy insulted her

By Alma Fabiani

Taylor Swift was denied a part in ‘Twilight: New Moon’ because she would’ve been ‘too distracting’

By Abby Amoakuh

Parents are buying bulletproof backpacks and clipboards for their children as school shootings continue

By Charlie Sawyer

How Florida’s hurricanes could sway the presidential election. And what officials are doing to keep voters safe

By Abby Amoakuh

Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie to star in Emerald Fennell’s white-washed Wuthering Heights

By J'Nae Phillips

How shitposting and lo-fi aesthetics are winning Gen Z over

By Abby Amoakuh

Influencer Sophie Guidolin slammed for Miranda Priestly-style job ad for personal assistant

By Charlie Sawyer

Missouri lynched another innocent Black man: The alarming reality of wrongful convictions in the US

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Brooklyn Beckham sparks internet frenzy as he teases new career move

By Charlie Sawyer

What is gay face? YouTubers claim a person’s sexuality can be identified by facial features

By Charlie Sawyer

Calls for Gisèle Pelicot to be named TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year after Trump takes title

By Abby Amoakuh

Influencer hit by a car after attempting viral Trust Him TikTok trend

By Abby Amoakuh

Keke Palmer recounts agent’s shocking response to inappropriate kiss scene she had to shoot age 12

By Charlie Sawyer

These TikTok theories are going viral despite Hannah Kobayashi’s sighting in Mexico

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2024 has haters and fans alike losing their mind, here’s why

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is Libs of TikTok, and who is Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the far-right account?

By Charlie Sawyer

Drake’s recent hairstyle has fans thinking he’s going through a midlife crisis 

By Abby Amoakuh

Meet Laura and Becky, the women hunting and exposing cheaters live to thousands on TikTok

By Abby Amoakuh

The women in male fields TikTok trend is now being used by men to air their own dating grievances