Travis Kelce’s Happiness Comes from Taylor Swift, Dad Ed Kelce Says (Exclusive)

The “Happiness” in Travis Kelce‘s life comes from one specific source — according to his dad, Ed Kelce.

While attending the premiere of The Kingdom in Kansas City on Sunday, Aug. 24, Ed, 74, spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about how his youngest son’s joy stems from his relationship with girlfriend Taylor Swift.

“Taylor,” Ed candidly admitted when he was tasked with pinpointing the cause of Travis’ happiness. “There’s no question about it.”

When asked if he tuned in to watch the couple on Travis and Jason Kelce‘s New Heights podcast earlier this month, Ed said he thought the record-breaking episode was “so good.”

“I think it was awesome,” he added. “It was great to see them go back and forth. They’re two people obviously very much in love.”

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Travis and Swift, both 35, began dating in 2023. After seeing the singer perform at his team’s Arrowhead Stadium during her Eras Tour that July, Travis invited Swift to attend one of his games in September, and their relationship took off.

The two then confirmed their romance in October 2023, when they stepped out holding hands at a Saturday Night Live afterparty. They eventually went Instagram official with an epic selfie in June 2024, and exactly a year later, the pair made their red carpet debut at the NFL player’s Tight End University — a three-day summer training camp in Nashville.

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After a whirlwind summer, a source told PEOPLE Swift is “really looking forward” to supporting Travis during the 2025-2026 NFL season. “Not just because she loves supporting Travis, but because for the first full season since they started dating, she’s not juggling a packed tour schedule,” the insider said.

Swift wrapped the final show of her Eras Tour in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December 2024. The historic run, which began in March 2023, spanned five continents and grossed over $2 billion in ticket sales, making it the highest-grossing tour in history.

Back in April, a source told PEOPLE that Travis and Swift are both “very serious and in sync.”

“They value the same things. Right now, the focus is very much on private time out of the spotlight,” the insider added of the tight end and the Grammy Award-winner.

For Ed, he is beyond proud of all his son has accomplished over the years — not only as a record-breaking athlete, but as a family member, friend and romantic partner.

“I think his continued work ethic is something that really makes you happy. That, combined with the efforts that he puts forth for those less fortunate, for the underserved communities. I think it’s a combination of those things,” he told PEOPLE. “He has really dedicated himself this season, too. I mean, he’s in the best shape I think he’s been in a long time.”

The Kingdom, a multi-part series that chronicles the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 season, and also focuses on the franchise’s place in NFL history, is currently available to stream on ESPN+.