The American dream is back. Not in the textbook form, but pop culture and sports are what Americans thrive, engage in, cry, boast about, and whatnot. And it gets even more interesting when the Taylor Swift brand intersects with the gridiron. The popstar and her beau, Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, are a constant presence on Sundays, sitting on the sidelines, with Swifties infiltrating the game-day chatter. But there’s another buzz that’s shaking up the pop culture scene right now. And it’s not your regular sideline kiss-cam moment…

The Kelce brothers, Travis and Jason Kelce, host one of the hottest podcasts, New Heights. And recently, they posted a cryptic episode teaser that has got the internet hungry for more tea. “92%ers, we’re coming back early for a special episode with a VERY special guest,” the post read. But that’s not what stirred the post. It was rather the cryptic image that accompanied the text. Kelce on the left, Jason on the right, and in the middle, a black silhouette with long hair greets the eye. And the speculation? Well….

So, Swifties assemble! Could this be the week Taylor Swift finally steps onto the New Heights stage? Well, fans have been speculating so much so. That’s the theory, concocted by the internet. And onto that bandwagon, Nick Saban‘s daughter, Kristen Saban, has officially joined the speculation squad, telling Travis Kelce,“on the 13th, Jason’s shirt is in eras tour shirt… do not play with us @newheightshow we are spiraling!!!” 

Kristen is a Swiftie. And a proud one, and her admiration for the pop culture sensations shows, doesn’t it? Once, she photoshopped an image of her dad, Nick Saban, wearing a headset on her 1989 album, teasing her dad, complete with laughing emojis. She was brimming with excitement when Swift’s ‘Reputation (Taylor’s version)’ was released. Her reaction? “FellowSwifties, are we getting RepTV tonight or are we just clowning again. 💀😅.” No wonder Kristen is so fixated on the Kelce brothers’ podcast.

Well, the countdown is officially on. Two days to go, and it isn’t any date. It’s Taylor’s lucky number. The possibility of the pop icon joining the NFL stars on their podcast has got fans losing their mind, with an eager possibility that she might be dropping some new music. One thing’s pretty clear: the hype train is running on high gear. And to be honest, a little push over here, that little nudge over there was what was needed for the internet to lose its calm.

One fan wrote, “How are we supposed to act normal?” Makes sense, doesn’t it? Three superstars, two from the NFL, and one from the music industry, are what get the people glued to their seats on Wednesday. Another fan wrote, “We know this silhouette all too well,” finding the hint in the minuscule details. Meanwhile, someone else sought a hint or maybe refuge, if you could call it that, in the orange backdrop. And so, the question remains. Why and How. What’s the scoop?

What got the Kelce-Swift tea brewing?

You don’t even have to be a die-hard Swiftie to observe how Jason Kelce’s genius dropped hints for the fandom. And one can’t help but wonder if it was intentional. I mean, if you are a marketing maverick, you shouldn’t have doubts. So, what are the elements that are keeping the Taylor Swift rumor afloat? The pop-culture egg-hunters wanted a reason to believe it, and much to their delight, they have got three. So, are you ready? Let’s dissect.

Zooming in on Jason Kelce’s t-shirt has led the internet to spiral into speculation. His Taylor Swift merch has grabbed eyeballs, generating chatter surrounding it. A navy blue T-shirt from the Eras Tour fuelled the rumours, while others suppose that it’s from her ‘1989’ album. Whatever the case, Jason is featuring her merch.

Next, we have the date of release. The podcast will be dropped on August 13. A number fairly and eagerly associated with Taylor’s lucky number. And it dates back to her first tour, ‘Fearless Tour’, in 2009, when she first drew the number on the back of her hand. And there’s more to it. She was born on the 13th of December, she had her first album go gold in 13 weeks, and more. Just a coincidence? Fans don’t think so.

Moving on to the bright, catchy orange backdrop, catching our eye. Just an orange backdrop? What’s the deal? Well, if you take a glance at the feed of her Marketing account, ‘Taylor Nation’, it features 12 photos of the singer clad in orange. Presently, she has 11 studio albums, and if the speculations are ripe with even a kernel of truth, if she is set to announce (speculated) her next music on the podcast, it would be her 12th.

And you know, what, we cannot ignore the look Travis Kelce’s giving to the silhouette. Maybe it’s the spidery sense that has swept the internet off its feet. But the buzz has already grabbed the eyeballs. Let’s see what major scoop the Kelce Brothers have in their store.