The news that everyone’s favorite “English teacher” and “gym teacher” are getting married broke the internet on Tuesday, after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce confirmed their engagement following two years of dating.
The couple’s relationship has long drawn intense fan interest, with many dubbing their upcoming nuptials “America’s royal wedding”. Even President Trump was met with a question about the news during a cabinet meeting.
Their Instagram announcement—a carousel of the couple’s lavish garden engagement photoshoot—has been liked more than 35 million times since it was posted on August 26, with Swifties around the world fawning over the singer’s gigantic ring.
But while celebrating the happy news, Kelce’s father made comments about the power couple’s engagement that quickly fueled conversation further. Ed Kelce said that his son had initially planned to propose another week but moved it forward, adding he thought Swift “was getting maybe a little antsy.”
Travis Kelce’s Proposal to Taylor Swift
“Travis actually did the proposal, oh, maybe two weeks, not quite two weeks ago,” Ed told News 5 Cleveland. “He was going to put it off till this week. I think she was getting maybe a little antsy, but he was going to put her off till this week to, you know, make some grand thing, to make it a big special event.”
Taylor Swift / Travis Kelce / @taylorswift / @killatrav
Ed Kelce added that he advised his 35-year-old Kansas City Chiefs star son not to worry about orchestrating an elaborate setting, and to just pop the question to multi-Grammy winning Swift, also 35.
Newsweek reached out to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for comment and will update this article if any response is received.
Taylor Swift’s Representation in the Media and Her Music
While Ed Kelce’s comments were clearly well-meaning, unfortunately they also played into a familiar stereotype that Swift has faced throughout her career: that of a woman impatient for commitment.
The perception has long appeared in media portrayals of her dating life, and even in her own music.
In her song So Long, Londonwidely believed to reference the fallout from her six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn, Swift sings: “You swore that you loved me, but where were the clues? I died on the altar waitin’ for the proof.”
Sleuthing Swifties have long interpreted the lyrics as frustration over a lack of commitment, following relationships with equally high-profile men such as Matty Healy, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Jonas, Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston.
Experts Say Wanting Commitment in a Relationship Is Healthy
Now experts are in agreement that Swift’s readiness for marriage after two years with Kelce is not only valid, but aligns with healthy relationship timelines for any couple.
“Marriage is still a legitimizing life event in many cultures and for many people,” Nari Jeter, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told Newsweek. “Two years is not such a short time of dating.
“And Taylor and Travis have not been shy about their commitment to each other, they have been publicly attending each other’s concerts and games since very early on.”
Jeter, who also hosts The Coupled Podcastadded timing matters less when the relationship is strong.
“Timing looks different when two people are aligned and intentional,” she said. “The calendar doesn’t matter—it’s the quality of connection.”
Marissa Nelson, a relationship and sex therapist who works with high-profile couples, talked to Newsweek about the challenges she often sees in her own practice.
“I see many clients that have been dating for 2-10 years with a partner that (is) slow to jump the broom and take the next step,” Nelson told Newsweek. “This causes frustration and anxiousness about the future, especially when wanting to plan milestones like having children, or planting roots, or making financial choices that can have a negative ripple effect on the relationship.”
Marriage Rates Continue to Decline in Modern Dating World
As marriage rates decline among younger generationsthe experts note that Swift’s openness challenges outdated stereotypes around women and commitment.
It seems impossible to escape the complaints and critiques that people have about the current dating market, in part thanks to the boom in dating apps, which many say has made it harder for singletons to find a reliable partner and settle down.
Amid an influx of trends, like the red pill movement, data shows that men are by and large putting off commitment for longer. Indeed, Americans are delaying getting married for longer periods than before, according to findings from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The median average age for men to first get married had risen to 30.2 years in 2023, while for women the figure is 28.4 years. The figure stood at 22.5 years for men and just 20 years for women in the 1950s
Emma Hathorn, dating and relationship expert at Seeking.com, said Swift’s decisiveness and openness shows emotional maturity in the modern dating climate.
“Taylor Swift’s eagerness to pursue her relationship with Travis Kelce further is not only understandable but also resonates with anyone who has been labeled ‘too much’ for knowing what they want,” Hathorn told Newsweek. “After spending two years together, it’s completely natural for someone to begin thinking about a long-term commitment.”
“Too often, especially for women, expressing the desire to move into an engagement or marriage has been met with being stigmatized as impatient or demanding,” Hathorn added.
“The underlying truth is that it’s actually a healthy form of communication.”
For Swift’s supporters, the message resonates.
While Ed Kelce also confirmed that the engagement happened in Missouri two weeks ago, eagle-eyed fans believe that the engagement photoshoot took place in the tight end’s Kansas home which had been decorated to reflect previous artwork by Swift—in particular, floral-tinged images from her Lover era.
Speculation has also risen over whether the couple posed for the pictures after their record-breaking appearance together on Kelce’s own podcast, New Heightsdue to the dents in Swift’s hear resembling the kind that headphones can create.
“Many people are beginning to push back against the outdated narrative that wanting a commitment from your partner is a sign of weakness,” Hathorn continued. “Instead, being honest about your expectations and setting clear boundaries is now being recognized as emotional maturity and a clear vision of oneself.”
As Hathorn summed up: “It shows that asking for more, whether that be a commitment, security, or more depth, isn’t a flaw but a sign of self-respect.”
