Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift. Photo:Don Juan Moore/Getty; Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty

Patrick Mahomes, who was listed on the Time100 Most Influential People of 2024 list, credits Taylor Swift’s fans for Chiefs’ global popularity
The quarterback said he and the team “like having that visibility”
Mahomes called Swift “down-to-earth” and said she’s “never not working” on music

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is singing Taylor Swift’s praises in a new interview with TIME.

One of the honorees on the TIME100 2024 Most Influential People list, Mahomes, 28, credited Swift, 34, for taking the Chiefs’ fandom global last season amid her relationship with Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce.

“[The Chiefs] went from a nationwide team that was kind of global to a full global worldwide team. That came from Taylor’s fanbase,” Mahomes told the magazine, adding that the Chiefs “just embraced” the added attention when the “Anti-Hero” singer attended games and team parties.

“We like having that visibility,” Mahomes shared. “At the end of the day, football has always been this bruising sport. We want to make it fun, where kids grow up and play football and show their personality and be who they are.”

“This year really magnified that,” the Super Bowl champion explained.

Patrick Mahomes for his Time100 Cover.Joshua Kissi for TIME

Mahomes told TIME that he’s got to see Swift’s work ethic firsthand since meeting the superstar songstress. “I’ve met a lot of famous people now in my life,” Mahomes said. “Taylor’s probably the most down-to-earth person that’s been on that stage for that long.”

“She’s never not working,” he went on. “Even when she’s taking her downtime, she’s working on something. Shooting a music video or singing a song or writing a song. You can see it by how she talks.”

Mahomes said he noticed Swift approaches football from a business standpoint as well.

“Even when she’s talking about football, when she’s learning it, you can see her business mind putting it together. It’s almost like she’s trying to become a coach. ‘Why can’t you try this, this, and this?’ She’s asking the right questions.”

Brittany Mahomes and Taylor Swift celebrate a touchdown by the Kansas City Chiefs against the Denver Broncos.Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Swift and Mahomes first met during a Chiefs’ afterparty in September when the singer and Kelce first began their romance. In the months since, Swift has become close friends with the Chiefs quarterback’s wife, Brittany Mahomes.

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Most recently, Swift and Kelce were seen kissing and dancing together backstage during Bleachers’ set at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on April 13. The duo also watched Swift’s pal, Ice Spice, during the first weekend of the festival.

Following their attendance at the annual music event, a source told PEOPLE that the couple is “very happy” and “all about quality time together before” Taylor resumes her Eras Tour in June. “They are very supportive of each other,” the insider said. “They’re enjoying solo dates, but have also been hanging out with their friends.”