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Taylor Swift reps Kansas Jayhawks sweatshirt during The Tortured Poets Department video

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz04/19/24

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Taylor Swift
© Robert Hanashiro, Robert Hanashiro / USA TODAY NETWORK

All’s fair in love and poetry, as Taylor Swift taught us Friday. At midnight ET, she released her long-awaited album, The Tortured Poets Department, and added a surprise anthology version two hours later.

One of the most anticipated tracks on the album was “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone. It was the lead single, and in celebration, Swift encouraged fans to post their “fortnight” recap as part of the #ForAFortnightChallenge.

When she posted hers, though, Kansas fans were quick to notice her Jayhawks sweatshirt in one of the shots and wondered if she declared her fandom.

Swift’s video also featured her boyfriend, Travis Kelce – a Cincinnati alum, for the record – in the first few seconds. Their relationship took off and reached New Heights last season as Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs made a run to a Super Bowl LVIII title. Swift was in attendance for the playoff push and made it to Las Vegas after performing in Tokyo as part of the Eras Tour.

That was Kelce’s time to shine, and now, it’s Swift’s. Her album broke records on both Spotify and Apple Music in its first 24 hours as millions listened to TTPD after months of build-up. She announced its release while accepting her Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights, and she surprised fans by adding a double album two hours after TTPD officially dropped.

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When it did, fans wondered if they heard a reference to Kelce in one of the songs.

One of the last songs on the first album, “The Alchemy,” featured a number of football-related references – “touch down, call the amateurs and cut ’em from the team” doesn’t seem very subtle. But the line that jumped out was “Where’s the trophy? He just comes running over to me,” which some wondered was a reference to the moments after the Super Bowl when Kelce went to find Swift to celebrate another title.

It could stay a mystery, though. But TTPD is sure to get its share of plays across the globe after it, at long last, has been released. And as Taylor Swift continues to get more familiar with football, the references could keep coming.

After all, Patrick Mahomes said she’s picking it up quick.

“Even when she’s talking about football, when she’s learning it, you can see her business mind putting it together,” Mahomes said. “It’s almost like she’s trying to become a coach. ‘Why can’t you try this, this, and this?’ She’s asking the right questions.”