Travis Kelce, the tight end for Kansas City Chiefs, was headbutted by Buffalo Bills' defensive tackle Jordan Phillips as his girlfriend Taylor Swift looked on at Arrowhead Stadium. During the AFC Championship game against the Bills, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scored an unusual rushing touchdown late in the second quarter, with Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin unable to prevent him from reaching the end zone.

Kelce then taunted Hamlin, leading to Phillips rushing over and initiating head contact with his helmet. The full force of the 6-foot-6, 342-pound tackle caused Kelce to stagger backwards.

Phillips' actions resulted in a penalty for the Bills, costing them 15 yards for unnecessary roughness, while Kelce's taunting went unpunished. This meant that the Bills were already at a disadvantage before their next offensive drive began, whereas a taunting flag would have improved their field position.

Phillips' headbutt was a clear sign of frustration, reflecting Buffalo's mood as they began to lose control of the game in the second quarter. The Chiefs had taken the lead in the first quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt, while the Bills only managed a field goal after entering Kansas City territory.

The Bills briefly took the lead after running back James Cook scored a touchdown, but quick scores from Xavier Worthy and Mahomes turned the tide once again.

The score stood at 21-16 at halftime, after Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins scored a 34-yard touchdown from a pass by quarterback Josh Allen with just 23 seconds left, giving his team a glimmer of hope. The first half was relatively quiet for Kelce, with his only notable interaction being the headbutt, and he caught just one pass for eight yards.

However, his girlfriend, Swift, was seen celebrating all three touchdowns from the Chiefs' suite at Arrowhead Stadium, where she was accompanied by Kelce's mother, Donna. Despite speculation about Kelce's potential retirement from the NFL at the age of 35, Swift's support for his football career is unwavering.

When asked about Swift's thoughts on his career longevity, Kelce revealed to Stephen A. Smith: "She's fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game. She loves coming to Arrowhead [Stadium] and coming to the games and cheering for me, so I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams."

Kelce expressed his love for the game, but also acknowledged that he may reassess his decision to continue playing if he doesn't achieve significant success on the field, saying: "I love everything that I'm doing ... but at the end of the day, I'm not having that extreme success on the field. I'll reevaluate it like I always do, and I'll probably tell myself how much I love this thing and I'll come back next year."

This article originally appeared Mirror US