Travis Kelce's Ego Plays Second String To Taylor Swift In Sweet Engagement Photos, Expert Says

Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce may not have picked up another Super Bowl ring in 2025, but he and pop sensation Taylor Swift are going to have some new, matching rings in the very near future. Shortly after Swift announced her 12th studio album "The Life of a Showgirl" on her beau's podcast, the sports-entertainment power couple dropped another bombshell: they're officially engaged. Swift accompanied the announcement with some sweet engagement photos she shared on Instagram, at least one of which puts the focus squarely on her engagement ring, which not only proves how much Kelce knows her fashion sense, but also may actually be worth quite a bit more than a Super Bowl ring. More than that, though, a body language expert tells us that the photos make it clear that Swift is very much the one playing quarterback in her relationship with Kelce, and that's perfectly fine, as they're both clearly happy.

"They are so cute!! What's noticeable is that they're so happy," body language expert and behavior analyst Traci Brown told The List in an exclusive chat. "Those are real smiles as evidenced by those wrinkles on the corners of their eyes," Brown continued, adding, "And I think she's in control of the relationship. Her hand is always on his cheek, gently guiding him her way and what he's focusing on. ... It's not a bad thing at all, just what's going on."

We should note that out on the field, Kelce plays the all-important role of tight end, meaning he's used to taking the QB's lead. And given his impressive stats, he's an indispensable member of the Chiefs' offense (his Super Bowl LIX performance notwithstanding). In other words, Swift may be calling the plays, but Kelce knows how to execute them.

The rumor mill tends to swing wildly when it comes to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. One minute, folks are convinced they're going to get engaged at the Super Bowl. The next, they're wondering if their relationship is on the rocks. But according to body language expert Traci Brown, Swift and Kelce's engagement photos are proof that they're in a really good spot (if the engagement itself wasn't proof enough). "The way you do anything is the way you do everything," Brown said, adding, "They are looking in each other's eyes at such close range. You can't do that if you're not really tight and in good terms. This is exactly what we all want to see from them!"

Another nasty rumor Swift and Kelce have had to contend with in recent times was that they're romance was purely performative — a PR stunt that was mutually beneficial. Kelce himself has defended the authenticity of his relationship with Swift in the past, but you don't just have to take his word for it. 

And fittingly enough, it was also Brown who helped shut down that rumor during a previous chat with The List. "They never take their hands off each other. Always overlapping. So cute! They're tight," Brown told us following Swift's aforementioned appearance on Kelce's podcast. At the time, the behavior analyst also pointed out the way Kelce conducted himself as Swift recounted the emotional experience of reacquiring her master recordings. "He's supportive. He shakes her a little in a hug and kisses the back of her head," Brown explained, adding, "He's holding back his own response — see how he draws his bottom lip in over his teeth? So it's emotional for him, too." Alexa, play "Love Story" (again).