“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”: How Taylor Swift Brought the Kelsey Family to Tears—and Laughter

In the whirlwind of football, fame, and family life, Jason Kelce has found himself caught up in a phenomenon that goes far beyond the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles legend and podcast superstar might have thought his biggest emotional moments would happen on the field—but it turns out the real tearjerker came courtesy of his daughter Wyatt, a three-year-old Swiftie, and a certain pop superstar named Taylor Swift.

Yes, Jason Kelce is officially a card-carrying member of the Swiftie club.

The moment that truly sealed it? A tiny, fierce voice in his home repeating the defiant lyrics from Taylor’s newest anthem, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.” As Jason recounted on The Pivot podcast, he hears it every day. “There’s a line in that where she says, ‘I’m a real tough kid, I can handle my stuff,’” Jason shared, chuckling. “Ellie—my three-year-old—when she says it, it just gets a laugh out of me every single time.”

It’s not just cute; it’s symbolic. A child’s voice echoing the confidence and resilience of one of the world’s biggest pop stars, in a house known for grit, athleticism, and locker room banter. Somehow, Taylor Swift’s music is weaving itself into the fabric of the Kelce family—and bringing unexpected moments of emotion, comedy, and reflection along the way.

A Family Touched by Taylor

The Kelces’ connection to Taylor isn’t just through radio play or little Ellie’s favorite lyrics. It’s personal. Very personal. Travis Kelce—Jason’s younger brother and Kansas City Chiefs tight end—has been romantically linked to Swift since 2023. And while much has been made about the glamour and headlines surrounding their love story, Jason’s perspective is a grounded one: protective, proud, and a little cautious.

“When Trav hit me and said, ‘Hey big bro, I got a bad one,’ I was like, ‘Oh yeah? What’s her name?’” Jason recalled. “Taylor,” he answered with a mix of disbelief and respect. But Jason also explained that Travis was hesitant about making the relationship public. “I think he was very cautious about even telling me or anybody because the reality is, she is under such a microscope.”

That awareness has shaped how the Kelce family approaches the spotlight now. There’s a delicate balance between privacy and pride, and Jason has been mindful not to overstep. “It’s really not my place to speak on the relationship,” he said. “But he is my brother, and I’m very happy for him.”

Still, their mutual respect for Taylor’s artistry—and the joy she brings to the younger members of the family—can’t help but spill into their daily lives.

Tears in London: The 22 Hat Moment

Earlier this summer, Jason and his wife Kylie attended their first-ever Eras Tour concert in London. And for someone who’s been to the Super Bowl, lived through countless national anthems and fireworks displays, and heard millions cheer in stadiums—nothing quite prepared him for the raw emotion of a Taylor Swift show.

“It was insanely impressive,” Jason said. “Taylor’s an amazing singer-songwriter, but to be a performer at that level, for how long she was up there—three and a half, four hours—45 songs? It blew my mind.”

One moment in particular took him over the edge.

If you’ve ever been to the Eras Tour, you know the tradition: every night during “22,” Taylor gifts her iconic black fedora to one lucky fan in the front row. For Jason, watching that moment unfold was unexpectedly emotional.

“Dude, I’ve never cried at a concert,” he confessed. “And I was literally tearing up watching this little girl’s entire life change in a second. I’m about to tear up right now, just talking about it.”

It was a moment of vulnerability—and recognition. In that little girl, Jason perhaps saw Wyatt. Or maybe he just felt the magic of someone like Taylor using her platform to create pure, unfiltered joy.

Becoming a Swiftie Dad

Jason’s journey from NFL tough guy to emotional girl dad and reluctant Swiftie is one many fathers will recognize. It starts with a catchy lyric your kid keeps repeating. Then you find yourself humming it. Then suddenly, you’re tearing up at a concert and analyzing song structure on your podcast.

“She’s so amazing at what she does,” Jason admitted. “To find that creativity, to see where she likes to pull things from, and how she listens to music—it’s really eye-opening to me. It’s been fun getting to hear [my daughter’s] taste on it.”

For many parents, especially dads, pop music often becomes the background soundtrack to their children’s lives—something tolerated more than embraced. But Jason is all in. He’s not just listening to “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”—he’s living it, through the joy and confidence it brings to his daughter.

And in that, he’s discovered something deeply meaningful. In Taylor Swift’s defiant lyrics and theatrical resilience, his daughter sees a role model. And through her eyes, Jason sees a new side of himself—not just as a football player or podcast host, but as a protector of joy, a witness to transformation, and a father attuned to the small but powerful ways music shapes our lives.

The Intersection of Football and Fairy Tales

Of course, it’s impossible to separate all this from the wider media circus around Travis and Taylor’s romance. The tight end dating the world’s biggest pop star—it’s a real-life fairy tale, and the world is watching.

But what’s more compelling than the headlines is the ripple effect on those closest to them. Jason’s newfound appreciation for Taylor Swift, Ellie’s favorite lyrics, and the family’s emotional concert experience tell a different kind of love story—one about siblings, daughters, and the music that bonds them.

There’s something poetic about a song titled “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” becoming a rallying cry in the home of one of America’s toughest football families. Maybe it’s the lyricism. Maybe it’s the beat. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the feeling of empowerment that even a toddler can recognize.

Whatever it is, the Kelces are listening. And so are we.