Football feud heats up! Chargers player who slapped Travis Kelce trolls again with Taylor Swift jab

The Los Angeles Chargers’ season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs in São Paulo, Brazil, gained headlines not only for the game but for involving defensive tackle Teair Tart and Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.

The confrontation began in the third quarter following a two-yard run by Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt. Tart struck Kelce across the facemask with an open-handed slap, resulting in a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Authorities determined the hit was not a “disqualifying action,” enabling Tart to continue the game.

Former NFL referee Terry McAulay, presenting as a rules analyst during the livestream, said why the penalty didn’t escalate: the gesture was categorized as an “open hand contact to the head” other than a closed-fist punch. The penalty advanced Kansas City to the Chargers’ 11-yard line, resulting up a touchdown drive.

Tart’s Social Media Jab

After the match, Tart ignited the fire by trolling Kelce on Instagram.
“I’m too swift with it even in Brazil…” he captioned in the post that has clips from the game alongside a meme from the comedy film How High, portraying a character being slapped.

Fans rapidly linked the remark to Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, who recently announced her engagement to the Chiefs star on Aug. 26.

Swifties Clap Back

Swift’s fanbase wasted no time and quickly defended her and Kelce remarking,

“Nice attempt at being relevant by putting down a widely successful woman,” one user shot back.

Another grabbed the Chargers’ championship drought saying: “taylor swift has more super bowls than your team btw.”

A third cited: “Crazy how you finally made headlines… for slapping, not sacking. ����”

And a fourth mentioned, “Bro ragbaited a entire fanbase with a caption��.”

The backlash emphasized just how much the Swift-Kelce relationship has combined in the celebrity culture with the NFL limelight.

Highlights of the Game

Apart from the slap, Kelce remained his focus. After Patrick Mahomes cut the deficit with an 11-yard touchdown run, Kelce caught a 37-yard touchdown reception, making his initial score of the 2025 season. He celebrated it with a dance and bull-inspired gesture in the end zone.

Still, the Chiefs fell short. The Chargers achieved a 27–21 victory, opening their season with a strong road win.

FAQs:

Q1. Who is Travis Kelce?
Travis Kelce is a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s widely recognized as one of the top players in his position and has several Super Bowl wins.

Q2. Who is Taylor Swift?
Taylor Swift is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter with an immense global fan base. She is also engaged to Travis Kelce, marking her as a significant figure in this NFL storyline.