NFL tight ends are popular too. At least, they are when your name is Travis Kelce.
The Kansas City Chiefs superstar achieved a new milestone on social media over the past week as he surpassed two-time MVP teammate Patrick Mahomes II in Instagram followers on June 29. Of course, this makes Kelce the most popular Chiefs player on Instagram.
According to a new study from sports analytics provider Tips.gg, Kelce surged ahead of Mahomes on the social media platform during the week of June 24 through 30, gaining 256,849 new followers on Instagram “following appearances at girlfriend Taylor Swift’s Eras tour concerts in both London and Dublin.”
Needless to say, Swift’s impact certainly has something to do with Kelce’s rise in prominence.
“It’s no secret that Travis Kelce’s popularity has skyrocketed globally over the last year, partly down to his crucial role in the Chiefs back-to-back Super Bowl wins and his romance with popstar Taylor Swift,” commented Anton Malyutin, Founder and CEO of Tips.gg.
Continuing: “As the Chiefs prepare to attempt a historic three-peat, both Kelce and Mahomes are sure to play vital roles, which could see their status in the NFL rise even further and social media figures skyrocket yet again.”
Per the Tips.gg data, which ends on July 1, Kelce’s Instagram account rose to a final count of 6,792,084 followers. Alternatively, Mahomes’ follower count remained at 6,790,013 at the time of the study.
Those numbers have since increased as of July 4. Checking in with Kelce’s page, the future Hall of Famer now has over 6.8 million followers at 6,800,010, while Mahomes’ Instagram count has actually dropped a bit to 6,784,901 followers.
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Now Ranks 2nd in Instagram Followers for Entire NFL Behind Odell Beckham Jr.
Although Kelce now ranks first on the Chiefs in Instagram followers, he is second overall for NFL athletes — and by wide margin.
Using Social Blade and Boardroom, the Tips.gg study determined that Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is still the most popular NFL player on Instagram. He has over 17.5 million followers according to their data, which means Kelce still has a long way to go to catch the playmaker known as “OBJ.”
“Not even a year off the field could stop Odell Beckham Jr. from hurdling to the top spot on the league’s most influential list,” Boardroom wrote in July of 2023. “From hanging out with Drake to posting up at the Met Ball, the freshly minted Baltimore Raven sits atop the league’s most-followed players on Instagram with more than 18 million followers.”
At the time, OBJ had more than three times the following of Mahomes, who ranked second a year ago. Beckham’s follower count has since dropped by approximately 500,000.
Travis Kelce Details Taylor Swift Eras Tour Cameo
As stated above, this recent surge in popularity has been traced back to Kelce’s on-stage cameo with Swift. The NFL superstar detailed the moment for fans on the July 3 episode of the “New Heights” podcast.
“It was an absolute blast,” Kelce told his brother on the show. “It was such a fun, playful part of the show, and it was like … the perfect time for me to go up there, just be a ham and have some fun — not only with [Swift] … but the crowd and really try and get everybody excited for the rest of the show. It was awesome.”
Earlier, he also described the Eras tour moment as “pretty jarring.” Explaining that Wembley Stadium stage is “easily as big as a football stadium” and “way bigger than I could have ever imagined.”
“I didn’t disappoint Taylor, so that’s all that really matters,” Kelce concluded. Calling it an “honor” to stand beside her on stage.
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