Is there a new era in Taylor Swift’s future? The internet is buzzing about a little detail that may — or may not — be huge news.
On December 18, Swift’s reputation-rocking pal Brittany Mahomes took to Instagram to share a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos from the wrap party for the Eras Tour, and before you could say “Shake it Off,” fans were sharing zoomed-in screenshots that seemed to show something funky going on with Swift’s fingers. One of the photos shows Swift and Lyndsay Bell posing for the camera with their drinks held high alongside a pregnant Mahomes. Nothing strange about that, but if you look closer, there may or may not be a conspicuous blur on the fourth finger of Swift’s left hand.
The response was, dare we say it, swift. Did Travis Kelce finally pop the question? Was the pic Photoshopped to hide an engagement ring until they were ready to share the news with the world? Fans have chimed in with their own opinions, with some saying that the picture was clearly altered, and others suggesting that that first group of fans is just grasping at straws.
Is Taylor Swift’s picture Photoshopped?
As speculation about the photo of Taylor Swift reached a fever pitch, one person wondered why the singer wouldn’t have just taken the ring off rather than go through all the trouble of editing photos later. In a direct message addressing this question, the fan who sparked the rumors on Instagram replied (via Page Six), “Because wearing an engagement ring after getting engaged at a party celebrating you sounds like the most perfect night ever!”
Indeed, the party reportedly doubled as a birthday bash for Swift, who turned 35 on December 13. So, if she really did say yes to the dress, an engagement ring would be something she’d surely want to flaunt. And even though it was definitely Swift’s night, Travis Kelce factored into the décor in more ways than one.
Another eagle-eyed fan noticed that Swift’s friendship bracelet that was visible in some of the photos may have been dedicated to Kelce. It’s hard to tell, but two of the visible letters on the bracelet appear to be a “C” and an “E.” You know, the last two letters in “Kelce.” And as all hardcore Swifties know, bracelets play a starring role in Kelce and Swift’s relationship. Is this all just rampant, unwarranted speculation? It’s very possible. This wouldn’t be the first time fans imagined wedding bells for the couple.
These aren’t their first engagement rumors
Travis Kelce and his “significant other” Taylor Swift have been all but swatting away engagement rumors since they made their relationship public in 2023, but the gossip has never really died down. In October 2024, for example, former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman said on the “Pardon My Take” podcast that he’d heard that Swift and Kelce had secretly gotten engaged. The rumor got so much traction that an inside source had to reach out to TMZ to clarify that it was, in fact, false. The source blamed the speculation on “overzealous fans” and added, “Two days ago everyone had decided they were broken up, now they’re allegedly secretly engaged? It’s whiplash-inducing.”
To be fair, though, you can’t put all the blame on fans for this recent wave of gossip. In a recent issue of Us Weekly, a source who claimed to be close to the couple said that Swift would, quote, “love to be engaged,” but wants to wait until the time is right. Another source said, “Taylor does feel like Travis is The One, but jumping in is not her style.” On top of that, Kelce did hint that he’s ready to hang up his helmet and retire from football. On a December 18 episode of “New Heights,” he said that his recent game against the Cleveland Browns felt like the last time he’d face them, adding that it felt like “one last hurrah.”
And with the whirlwind, globe-spanning Eras Tour finally at an end, it may not be long until Swift finally feels like the time is right and puts those engagement rumors to rest in the best way possible.
