Entertainment Awards Shows and Events Grammys Chiefs’ James Winchester Recalls Travis Kelce ‘Smiling and Blushing’ When Taylor Swift Attended First Game Winchester also revealed the first thing Swift said to him when they met after the Chiefs game on Sept. 24 By Natasha Dye Natasha Dye Natasha Dye is a writer-reporter for PEOPLE covering sports. Her previous work appears in The New York Post and Popstar! Magazine. People Editorial Guidelines Published on May 8, 2024 05:54PM EDT (L-R) James Winchester, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. Photo: getty (2) Kansas City Chiefs' long snapper James Winchester sang Taylor Swift's praises in a new interview — and revealed Travis Kelce's sweet reaction to her attending her first game at Arrowhead Stadium. On an episode of the Like a Farmer Podcast, Winchester, 34, recounted the moment he learned Swift, 34, was in Kelce's family suite during the Chiefs' win over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24. Winchester recalled hearing "rumors" that the superstar singer may show up at a game after talk swirled online that Kelce, 34, had been linked to Swift. Then, Winchester said, the Chiefs' equipment manager pointed Swift out to him from the sidelines after Winchester told him he suspected "the whole thing is just made up." Winchester said he proceeded to "walk up to Trav" on the sideline during the game and showed him Swift. "I'm like, 'Hey man, that's cool she’s here,' and he's like, 'What do you mean? Did they put her up on the Jumbotron or something?' and I'm like, 'No, no, Jay just told me.' " That's when he said Kelce began "smiling and blushing" about his now-girlfriend's public support. Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce. David Eulitt/Getty Images; Dustin Satloff/Getty Images Every Time Taylor Swift Went to a Kansas City Chiefs Game — and Whether or Not the Team Won And "later on," after the game ended, he and Travis were "walking up the ramp and him and her go get on a cart," Winchester recalled on the podcast. "Later on that night, I got to meet her," he shared, adding that the "first thing" Swift said to him was, "Are you that guy with the cute kids?" Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Winchester said he had his young son and daughter on the field at the game that day, and the singer's sweet observation made him realize, "I think I just became a T Swift fan." When the podcast's host asked Winchester if he identifies as a "Swiftie" now, the Chiefs long snapper said, "I'm a fan of her," explaining that "being around her this year" made him realize she's "just such a genuine person." Winchester went on to say he "couldn’t be happier for Trav and her" and that the "whole deal seems like a really good thing" for the superstar couple. Taylor Swift at Chicago Bears vs Kansas City Chiefs. Jason Hanna/Getty Tom Brady Mocks Taylor Swift and the Chiefs During His Netflix Roast for Having '14-Year-Old Girl' Fans What's more, Winchester revealed that he attended Swift's Eras Tour at Arrowhead Stadium with nine female family members just months before she attended her first game. "It was impressive, actually seeing the show that she put on and all of the excitement around it," Winchester said of the show, noting that his favorite song of hers is "probably 'Shake It Off' " because his kids love to dance to it. Winchester added, "She's an incredible singer, songwriter and entertainer." Close