Taylor & Travis’ AFC Championship Body Language Gave So Many Signs

Travis Kelce is headed to the Super Bowl, and Taylor Swift is celebrating her boyfriend’s success. On Jan. 29, the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens at the AFC Championship, meaning they’ll be at the NFL Championship on Feb. 11. Following the Chiefs’ 17-10 victory over the Ravens, Swift congratulated Kelce on the field, and their sweet post-game interaction is going viral.

According to body language expert Patti Wood, there’s a legitimate reason behind fans’ interest in the couple — and it’s not just because both Swift and Kelce are uber-successful hotties. Instead, she tells Elite Daily that the sincerity in the couple’s body language is what’s so appealing — and it’s something fans are picking up on, even subconsciously.

“When you're looking at them together, it makes you feel good,” Wood, who wrote Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma, explains. “People are saying, ‘Why are we so fascinated by them?’ It's because it's real. You're feeling some of their emotional state.”

Here’s a full breakdown of Swift and Kelce’s post-win body language.

Their Smiles Were Full Of “Authentic Joy”

Fans cannot get enough of Swift and Kelce’s celebratory hug and kiss after the Chiefs’ victory. Per Wood, they might be picking up on the couple’s genuine happiness in the moment. In photos, both Swift and Kelce exemplified the Duchenne smile, which indicates real joy.

“There’s true, authentic joy in his smile,” Wood notes, pointing out how positive emotion “activates the muscles around the circles of the eye, pulling down eyebrows and lifting the skin around the eye.” Notice how Kelce’s brow was turned down and his cheek was puffed up? That’s a sign that he was truly happy, per Wood.

Swift had a similar expression on her face. “Her eye appears smaller in this moment because her brow comes down and the skin around eye raises,” Wood says. Her cheek line lifted up, and her upper teeth showed, too. Both signal that the singer was feeling truly delighted.

Plus, the couple was sharing this contentment together, a good indication that they were on the same page.

Their Shared Moment Hinted At Intimacy

As Swift and Kelce spoke, they kept their bodies and faces close together. “She’s gently nestling into him and her eyes are closed, which shows she feels incredibly safe,” Wood says.

Their bodies were positioned “heart-to-heart,” while they rested their foreheads against each other. “This shows great comfort and intimacy. It’s a vulnerable position,” Wood adds.

In this photo, Swift and Kelce seemed to be in their own little world despite the crowd around them. It’s pretty reminiscent of Swift’s Reputation lyric “our secret moments in a crowded room.”

“They are experiencing this moment with each other. Nothing else matters,” Wood says. “That intimacy blocks out everything else, and it's rare to see it.”

Per Wood, there’s also a level of security in how Swift and Kelce interacted with each other. “They're so close but they're not hanging on each other,” she says.

Notice how Swift’s hand rested on Kelce’s shoulder without clinging to it? “That shows a lot of tenderness and how she softens in his presence,” Wood says. “It’s a sweet moment of safety and comfort.”

Their Hug Was A Source Of Mutual Comfort

Both Swift and Kelce seemed to seek comfort in each other’s arms. “He's bending down and arching because he craves cheek-to-cheek contact,” Wood explains. “She wants to be up and around him.”

Per Wood, the way Swift held onto Kelce conveyed a message of “I want more of you.” And the way Kelce hugged her in response indicated he was willing to “give it right back to her.”

If you look closely at the way Kelce’s hands were positioned, you can see they were “supportive.” Wood says, “He’s coming down to meet her and his hands are symbolically lifting her up.”

It was a mutual moment of affection between them. In a video of the interaction, Kelce and Swift swayed side-to-side as they hugged. “Rocking back and forth can increase comfort chemicals in the body,” Wood says. “They’re giving that comfort to each other.”

Taylor Let Travis Take The Lead

After they celebrated one-on-one, Swift and Kelce walked across the field to greet his other family and friends. As they moved, Swift was “tucked in” to Kelce. Again, she nestled closely to him, which Wood labels as significant.

“This is different from her baseline behavior,” Wood says, referencing how Swift usually walks like the superstar she is. “She's bashful here, with her head bowed.” As Kelce soaked in his victory, she let him take the lead. “Her body language is saying, ‘This is your moment. You're shining, and I just want to be in your presence.’”

At the same time, Kelce was keeping Swift close — another positive indication. “It's his moment externally, but he’s joyfully sharing it with her.”

Taylor’s Bliss Was Obvious, Too

When Swift and Kelce found his brother, Jason Kelce, she stepped aside to let the brothers have their own moment. “She doesn't feel a need to keep holding on and easily slips away,” Wood says.

Even though the cameras stopped focusing on her for the moment, Swift’s smile didn’t drop. “When she moves out of the way, she’s smiling with her upper teeth,” Wood points out. “Her body language stays up and lifted. It isn’t just for the cameras. She’s still joyful in the moment.”

Swift said as much in her December 2023 interview with TIME Magazine. “I’m just there to support Travis,” she explained why she goes to Chiefs games. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”