Teammate Steps In: How Clyde Edwards-Helaire Supported Taylor Swift Amidst Super Bowl Chaos

Travis Kelce’s teammate provided crucial support for Taylor Swift following the shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade in 2024.

In a column published by the Kansas City Star on Friday, January 9, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire reflected on his strong bond with Kelce, 36, both on and off the field.

“[He’s] someone who will genuinely look out for you until the very end … Not as Travis Kelce your teammate, but as Travis, my big brother,” the 26-year-old explained.

This close friendship has even extended to their partners, including Swift, 36, who has become a regular presence at Chiefs games since her romance with Kelce began in 2023.

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When the Chiefs celebrated their Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers with a parade in February 2024, the celebrations were abruptly halted by a mass shooting that resulted in one fatality and 22 injuries. Swift was on tour in Australia at the time, with her security team waking her up in the middle of the night after the news emerged.

According to the Star, Kelce was “noticeably intoxicated,” so he handed his phone to Edwards-Helaire, who “reassured” the pop star by letting her know Kelce was unharmed.

Swift later reciprocated this act of kindness that summer. Although she was unable to attend Edwards-Helaire’s wedding to his wife JoJo due to her demanding Eras Tour schedule, Swift ensured Kelce would be there, flying him back to the U.S. from the U.K.

“It was one of those situations where she understood the relationship, she knows how everything stands,” Edwards-Helaire recalled.

Edwards-Helaire’s heartfelt words come as questions arise about Kelce’s NFL future after 13 seasons with the Chiefs, who missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

Following the team’s final game of the regular season — a 14-12 defeat against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, January 4 — Kelce spoke openly about his plans for the offseason.

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“[I’ll be] attempting to determine what I’m going to do next regarding my future in football,” he said on the Wednesday, January 7, episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “I’ve spoken with several people at the facility already, having the exit meetings and everything, they know where I stand, at least for now. There’s a lot of passion for the game that’s still there, and I don’t believe I’ll ever lose that.”

Kelce added that he was looking forward to “being a typical person” for the next few months. “It’s a difficult thing to navigate, but at the same time, I think if my body can recover and rest and I can feel confident that I can go out there and give it another 18, 20, 21-week run, I think I would do it without hesitation,” he continued. “I think right now it’s just finding that answer and seeing how my body feels after this game and when everything settles down.”

While his official decision remains undecided, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that “conversations are progressing well” between Kelce and Netflix for a possible role as a broadcast sports analyst. (Netflix declined to comment when contacted by Us.)

A second source noted that the tight end “has had discussions with his representatives about retiring and not playing football next season,” including about what could be next for his career if he doesn’t return to the Chiefs.