There have been lots of surprises in the NFL this season. One that comes to mind instantly is Aaron Rodgers being out for the entire season with a torn Achilles. What’s more, it happened minutes into the first game of the season, which made the whole thing even more dramatic. New York Jets fans were banking on Rodgers to be the missing piece of the puzzle and to take their team to the next level. There was even talk of the Jets making it to the Super Bowl. But, Rodgers is out, and the Jets are struggling, even with some solid players on the squad. But, that’s not really the biggest surprise in the NFL this season.

So, what exactly is the biggest surprise this season? It’s not Rodgers. It’s not the Kansas City Chiefs and Eagles having some tough games. Also, it’s not the Detroit Lions doing super well out the gate. It actually doesn’t have anything to do with football. The biggest shock is the Taylor Swift factor.

If someone had said, “Hey, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to get a huge media surge due to Taylor Swift dating one of their players” before the season started, everyone would have thought they were crazy. But, here we are. Swift is reportedly dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and she’s been at three of their games so far this season. Perhaps the Chiefs would have won their first game against the Detroit Lions if Swift had been there, but as a Lions fan, it’s good she stayed home that night.

Thursday (Oct. 12) marked Swift’s third appearance at the Chiefs’ games. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos for the 16th straight time, 19-8. This wasn’t a surprising win, but the Chiefs have been shakier than expected this season, so a win is a win.

Kelce was a major part of the Chiefs getting that win against the Broncos. He caught nine passes for 124 yards. This was despite Kelce injuring his right ankle during last week’s win over the Minnesota Vikings.

All eyes were on Swift at the game. She sat in a VIP area with Donna Kelce and Mahomes’ wife, Brittany. It almost seemed like a Grammy Awards show, as Swift hugged Brittany and cheered, much like she does during music awards shows with her contemporaries. It’s cute to see this love blossom, but what if it goes bad? How does this end? It either ends with roses and a wedding band or with deep heartbreak. Get ready for a new song from Swift, either inspired by this loving relationship or the downfall.

Next up, the Chiefs will take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 22. It’s another home game, so it’s more likely that Swift will show up. Time will tell.

Check out some NFL quarterbacks who have overperformed in 2023 here.