Undercover lover! Taylor Swift secretly attended several of boyfriend Travis Kelce‘s Kansas City Chiefs games before going public with their romance on September 24, 2023, one of his coaches has revealed.

“When she started to come around, it was privately. She was coming into the stadiums without people really knowing until the camera put a big spotlight on it,” Dave Merritt, the Chiefs’ defensive backs coach, revealed during the February 22 episode of “The Sports Shop With Reese and K-Mac” podcast.

Taylor, 34, had previously admitted she and Travis, 34, were already together before she was filmed cheering him on in a box at Arrowhead Stadium alongside his mom, Donna Kelce.

Dave wasn’t specific about which games Taylor ​secretly attended, however. She played the last of her 2023 U.S. Eras tour dates on August 9 at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The “Cruel Summer” singer could have started attending Chiefs preseason games, although Travis did not play in those to avoid getting injured before the regular season.

The Chiefs played at home on September 7, kicking off their season against the Detroit Lions with a victory. The team then went on the road to play the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 17. The following week when the Chiefs hosted the Bears, Taylor made her firrst appearance at a game that was shown on TV.

Fans were floored to see the pop superstar cheering on Travis, after he revealed how he tried and failed to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it during Taylor’s Eras tour show in Kansas City on July 8, 2023. Later that month he recalled the story to listeners during an episode of his “New Heights” podcast.

The “Anti-Hero” singer revealed in a December 6, 2023, interview after being named TIME‘s Person of the Year that she was enchanted by his gesture, and their romance began shortly after that. “This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” Taylor told the publication. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to know each other.” “By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple,” Taylor dished. “I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”

The 14-time Grammy winner went on to describe why she attended every Chiefs game she was able to during Travis’ season. “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves,” she explained. “We’re showing up for each other. Other people are there and we don’t care.”

Taylor Swift’s revelation about the genesis of her relationship with Travis Kelce, disclosed in a December 6, 2023 interview following her recognition as TIME’s Person of the Year, offers an intriguing glimpse into the unconventional beginnings of their romance. Swift described how Kelce’s endearing gesture of featuring her on his podcast sparked their connection, leading to a period of getting to know each other away from the public eye. The singer expressed gratitude for this private time, emphasizing the importance of building a foundation before their relationship became public knowledge.

Swift’s candid reflection provides a refreshing contrast to the often sensationalized narratives surrounding celebrity romances. Instead of conforming to societal expectations or orchestrating elaborate displays of affection, Swift and Kelce’s relationship blossomed organically, rooted in authenticity and mutual admiration.

Moreover, Swift’s acknowledgment of the misconceptions surrounding their first public appearance together at a game highlights the couple’s desire for privacy and normalcy in their courtship. By debunking rumors and revealing the true timeline of their relationship, Swift humanizes their story and underscores the value of genuine connection over public spectacle.