Travis Kelce may be one of the NFL’s biggest stars, but these days, he’s also part of one of pop culture’s most-watched love stories.

Since going public with Taylor Swift, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end has experienced a surge in media attention — and while it comes with challenges, he’s opening up about how he’s handling it and why his relationship is worth it.

‘You can’t block that [attention] out,’ Kelce told GQ. ‘If someone says something that they don’t like about you, you have to be able to understand how you are portraying yourself for them to say that. I don’t want anyone to say anything negative about me. Some people don’t give a f**k. I’m someone who does care.’

That care extends beyond the football field.

‘I do want people to look at me like I’m doing good in the world, I’m influencing and using my platform for the better, being a role model, being somebody that has done it the right way.’

He’s well aware of the public perception that can come with being a professional athlete and he’s learned to meet it with humor.

Travis Kelce couldn’t help but gush about his girlfriend Taylor Swift while gracing the cover of GQ

Since going public with Taylor Swift , the Kansas City Chiefs tight end has experienced a surge in media attention — and while it comes with challenges, he’s opening up about how he’s handling it and why his relationship is worth it

‘I find it funny. I joke about it. It is what it is. I’m just out here living life. I don’t necessarily want everyone to think that I’m an idiot…There’s always something to learn. 

‘Acting like you’re the smartest one in the room just isn’t the way to go.’

But when it comes to Swift, Kelce gets candid and romantic about what it’s like to share the spotlight with her.

‘I get to be the plus one. I get to go and be that fan. Because I am a fan. I’m a fan of music. I’m a fan of art. And it’s so cool that I get to experience her being that plus one for me on the football field…I feel that same enjoyment every time she comes to my shows.’

Kelce even sees parallels between the woman he’s dating and the woman who raised him, Donna Kelce, praising both women for their warmth, kindness, and unwavering work ethic. 

From his mom’s own professional rise to Swift’s record-shattering career, Kelce sees the same drive and ability to exceed expectations.

‘Their kindness, their genuineness, their ability to say hello to everyone in the room. Their ability to show love and support no matter what,’ Kelce explained.

‘And on top of that, their work ethic. I saw my mother reach goals that she had set for herself, go from being a teller to working all the way up in the KeyBank building. 

When it comes to Swift, Kelce gets candid and romantic about what it’s like to share the spotlight with her

Kelce even sees parallels between the woman he’s dating and the woman who raised him, Donna Kelce, praising both women for their warmth, kindness, and unwavering work ethic

‘I’ve seen Taylor do the exact same thing of setting goals for herself and exceeding the expectations and really captivating the world in that regard.’ 

Balancing two demanding, high-profile careers could easily test a relationship, but Kelce says he and Swift keep things surprisingly grounded.

‘Whenever I’m with her, it feels like we’re just regular people,’ the Kansas City Chiefs star insisted. 

It’s not exactly a direct answer to how they juggle their schedules, but perhaps the question doesn’t need a firm answer yet — after all, they’re only two years in.

He went on to explain that when the cameras aren’t rolling, ‘we’re just two people that are in love. 

‘It can be perceived as something else because of how much it is talked about and how much we are tracked whenever we do go out, but I would say that it’s as normal of… it happened very organically even though from a media standpoint it was being tracked. It still happened very organically.’

‘Their kindness, their genuineness, their ability to say hello to everyone in the room. Their ability to show love and support no matter what,’ Kelce explained of how Swift reminds him of his mom (seen together earlier this year)

Kelce stressed that there was never a master plan for the relationship. 

‘Nothing I’ve ever done has been a controlled, organized process. When I say it was so organic, we fell in love just based off the people we were sitting in a room together with.’

He says they quickly realized how much they had in common. 

‘We are two fun-loving people who have the morals to appreciate everyone for who they are. We share all those values,’ he added. ‘It kind of just took the f*** off.’

Kelce also noted he’s ‘become way more strategic in understanding’ what he is ‘portraying to people.’ 

‘When you see me hanging out at the US Open with Taylor, it may look like the two of us are partying,’ he explained. ‘But I’m just enjoying the fun of being at this really cool event that I always wanted to go to with the person that I love.’