13 Kansas City Chiefs as Taylor Swift Songs: The Definitive List

The Kansas City Chiefs and Their Taylor Swift Song Counterparts

1. Head Coach Andy Reid: “Mastermind”

Sometimes, it’s best to get the easy ones out of the way. As the Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid has guided Kansas City to 10 straight winning records. A 5-1 start this season has them poised for an 11th, with a third Super Bowl to show for it. When Reid is finished coaching, he’ll be remembered as an offensive mastermind who lived in conference championship games for two different franchises.

Kansas City’s success, particularly on offense, is far from accidental. “It was all by design,” just as Swift mused on the Midnights closer. It may have begun in the NFC East, but Reid’s plans were perfected and executed with the Chiefs. Nothing was going to stop him from reaching the NFL’s pinnacle.

2. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: “False God”

“Fifteen” would’ve been too on the nose for the Kansas City Chiefs gunslinger, so let’s pin him to this Lover track instead. After all, there are surely people who worship his right arm and pray for his health on a nightly basis. He’s not a real deity, but Mahomes’ arrival instantly transformed the Chiefs from a perennial playoff team to consistent Super Bowl contenders. Taylor Swift didn’t pen “False God” with Mahomes in mind, but a large section of the Chiefs’ fanbase would probably dedicate it to him.

3. Tight End Travis Kelce: “Style”

Taylor Swift may see that “daydream look” in Kelce’s eyes, but “Style” is also fitting for what he’s accomplished on the gridiron. Travis Kelce is the longest-tenured player on the 2023 Chiefs roster. Every year since 2015 he’s been a Pro Bowler, and each year since 2016 has seen Kelce make an All-Pro team. For over a decade, Kansas City has been spoiled with a future Hall of Famer at tight end. His playstyle, nor his jersey, will ever go out of style.

4. Defensive Tackle Chris Jones: “Come Back…Be Here”

Remember when Chris Jones was holding out to start the season, and Kansas City lost 21-20 at home to begin 2023? The Chiefs are 5-0 since he returned, with a new contract, in Week 2. Along with that, no team has scored 21 against Kansas City since Week 1. Three of those five teams were held to 10 or fewer points. The Chiefs didn’t want to need him this way, but they did. The results speak for themselves.

5. Running Back Isiah Pacheco: “Enchanted”

When Kansas City Chiefs fans were tracking the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, most didn’t expect the team to draft an impact player. Well, when Isiah Pacheco (drafted 251st overall) burst onto the scene as a rookie, he gave the team a dimension in the running game that was sorely missing. Now the team’s undisputed starter in the backfield, Kansas City, like Taylor Swift years ago, wasn’t expecting this to be the person that swept them off their feet.

6. Linebacker Nick Bolton: “Mine”

When the Chiefs drafted Nick Bolton in the second round of the 2021 draft, it was because they desperately needed to bolster the defense. He immediately made the selection look good with a solid rookie campaign. Then, in 2022 he was even better, breaking the Chiefs’ single-season record for tackles. It feels safe to say Kansas City loves how this selection panned out.

7. Kicker Harrison Butker: “seven”

Harrison Butker wears number seven for the Chiefs. This is the kicker’s seventh NFL season, all with Kansas City. He’s been an underrated aspect of their success all these years. Also, this fits too cleanly to omit.

8. Center Creed Humphrey: “invisible string”

After the Kansas City Chiefs lost Super Bowl LV to the Buccaneers, it was painfully obvious that the offensive line needed help. Creed Humphrey declared for the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma as arguably the top interior lineman available that year. Taylor Swift crooned about fate somehow bringing two parties together on the Folklore track “invisible string.” Considering that Humphrey fell neatly to the end of the second round, where Kansas City scooped him up, maybe this match was inevitable. Creed Humphrey was an All-Pro in each of his first two seasons, so the Chiefs shouldn’t have any regrets about what fate delivered.

9.  Offensive Tackle Jawaan Taylor: “Karma”

In Week 1, Jawaan Taylor drove the football world crazy because of his alignment (and also potential false starts) that went largely uncalled. Since then, Jawaan Taylor has racked up penalties and has a healthy lead for 2023’s most penalized player right now. He may or may not be getting unfairly targeted after the referees were blasted on a national stage. Regardless, Taylor Swift called karma a “bounty hunter” for a reason. It always tracks down its targets.

10. Running Back Clyde Edwards-Helaire: “The Lucky One”

In “The Lucky One,” Swift ponders the price of fame. Is the spotlight really all it’s chalked up to be? One may think that Clyde Edwards-Helaire getting drafted by the reigning champions in 2020 and handed the starting role was a perfect NFL path. After all, he was instantly a known name who ended up winning a ring with the team last year.

However, he’s also lost his starting spot and battled many injuries. With how social media operates, he’s probably received aggressive tweets for no reason too. He may have accomplished life goals, but Edwards-Helaire surely envisioned more for his NFL career. One can only wonder how things would’ve unfolded for him on the field if the timeline unraveled differently.

11. Wide Receiver Kadarius Toney: “Holy Ground”

2023 has been rough for Kadarius Toney since Week 1. He had a chance to solidify himself as a top receiving option and instead fell flat on a national stage. After six games, Toney has 17 catches, five rushing attempts, 90 total yards, and a touchdown. To say his first full season in Kansas City has started horrifically is an understatement. Right now, most Chiefs fans probably don’t have positive things to say about Toney.

Still, his two key plays in Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVII win will forever make Toney’s tenure worth it. Taylor Swift’s “Holy Ground” is all about reminiscing and fondly remembering the highs of a relationship. When this one between the Kansas City Chiefs and Kadarius Toney ends, block out the lowlights. He was instrumental in a championship win.

12. Cornerback Trent McDuffie: “22”

Millions of people have heard Taylor Swift’s smash hit “22” before. That doesn’t apply to Trent McDuffie yet, but he’s quietly performed well enough to get there soon. Drafted 21st overall (so close) in the 2022 NFL Draft, McDuffie switched to number 22 this season. When this year began, he was 22 years old. When this was written, he had 22 solo tackles during the 2023 campaign. It fits all too well.

13. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert: “I Forgot That You Existed”

Taylor Swift’s “I Forgot That You Existed” isn’t about disrespect, but rather the serenity of moving on from someone. So, with all due respect to Blaine Gabbert (who has seen the field during the regular season already), it’s incredible that he’s still on an NFL roster. After all, the Jaguars, who drafted him 10th overall in 2011, benched him permanently in 2013.

Blake Bortles was drafted by Jacksonville as Gabbert’s replacement in 2014 and is already out of the league. Only 12 other players from the 2011 draft class are still active. Between 2020 and the first six games of this season, Gabbert has only thrown 40 total passes. Congrats on keeping a career Mr. Gabbert, the life of a backup QB can be a lucrative one. Most people may have forgotten that Gabbert is on an NFL roster, but that’s probably best for himself and Jacksonville fans who have successfully moved on from that era.