Taylor Swift Subtly Shouts Out Travis Kelce’s Dad in ‘So High School’

In case you missed it, and I’m not sure how anyone with internet access could, Taylor Swift’s 11th album The Tortured Poets Department is out now. The 31-track release is absolutely brimming with breakup rage, heartbreak, and all the signature turns of phrase Swifties have come to know and love.

And for anyone wondering if her newest muse made the cut: Yes. Swift’s song “So High School” pays homage to her romance with NFL star Travis Kelce, and there’s even a heart-warming little shout out to his dad in there too.

The song opens with a twang-y electric guitar that sounds like it’s about to launch into the theme for any 2000s movie about high school drama, where the kids are pulling into the parking lot and you get a good look at all the cliques.

Swift sings that she feels like she’s back in high school whenever she sees Kelce, who is never named of course, but some sweet details make it clear that’s who she means (“And in the blink of a crinklin’ eye, I’m sinkin’” and “You know how to ball, I know Aristotle,” to name a few). Her reference to Travis’ dad, Ed Kelce, comes along in the third verse.

“I feel like laughin’ / In the middle of practice / Do that impression you did of your dad again.”

It’s no secret that Travis and his brother Jason love to poke fun at their dad, who is a frequent guest on their podcast, along with other members of their fam (like Jason’s wife Kylie and America’s favorite football mom, Donna Kelce).

While Swift hasn’t spoken about her relationship with Kelce’s family publicly, it’s pretty clear from their interactions on the sidelines and in the box seats of Travis’ Chiefs games that they’re close. And now Mr. Kelce, and his son’s impression of him, have a permanent seat in the Tortured Poets Department.

While Taylor has been spotted with Travis many a time, she hasn’t been super vocal about their romance. Kelce, on the other hand, often shares his thoughts — though he does keep them brief — on his New Heights podcast.

So, we’ll be keeping an ear out to hear what he has to say about “So High School.” Maybe he’ll even do his Ed impression if we’re lucky. And if he’s the kind of dad we think he is, Ed is probably loving this right now.