✨Sunday Swiftie – June 30, 2025

💌 Dear Reader

Red lips, red jerseys, red zone energy — welcome to the first edition of Sunday Swiftie! 💫 Whether you’re a new fan learning the game or a diehard who’s already circled Super Bowl Sunday, this is your new weekly stop for Chiefs content through a Swiftie lens. (And daily for all chiefs content!)

And yes… we will talk about Travis (& Taylor of course). But we’ll also break down football, highlight hidden gems, and maybe even slip in a few lyrics you didn’t see coming. Let’s go!

🧣 Sideline Report

This week on New Heights, Trey Smith joined Travis and Jason Kelce to talk all things Chiefs — but the real highlight?

Jason glowed while discussing rookie LT Joshua Simmons, even comparing his strength and footwork to Trent Williams, one of the best linemen in the game. Simmons might just be the dragon we’ve been waiting for on Mahomes’ blind side.

Meanwhile, the Mahomes family continues to leave a mark beyond the field — Patrick and his foundation awarded $150,000 in scholarships to local students. That’s 15 incoming college freshmen with a real shot at chasing their dreams.
Time of their lives? Just getting started.

📸 Starlight Snapshots

This week, Tight End University got a little extra sparkle when Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance in Nashville — first cheering Travis on at the field, then stealing the show with a surprise performance of “Shake It Off” at a local bar.

For a football event built on chemistry, competition, and fun, Taylor’s presence was the perfect bonus track. Fans, players, and Swifties alike were glowing — and you know Travis was beaming.

📚 Swiftie Study Hall

Today’s Topic: What Is a Left Tackle (LT)?

Let’s keep it simple.

A Left Tackle is one of five offensive linemen who line up in front of the quarterback before the play starts.
He stands on the far left — and his #1 job is to protect the quarterback’s blind side.

Most quarterbacks (like Mahomes) are right-handed, so when they turn and look to throw, they’re looking to the right — not left. That means if a defender comes rushing from the left, the QB might not see them coming.

If you're a Swiftie, think of it like this:

In Football terms:
Josh Simmons (The Chiefs 1st Round Draft Pick who plays Left Tackle) is there to make sure no one blindsides Mahomes while he’s about to launch a 40-yard pass to Kelce. Simple as that.

🐣 Swiftie Easter Egg – Lyric Decoder

🎁 This week’s challenge:

🧠 Try to piece the full line together based on the themes and phrases scattered throughout the sections.

💬 When you think you’ve figured it out… scroll to the very bottom for the answer! (And don’t worry — no judgment if you peek early 😉)

💬 Fan Q&A

Each week, I’ll answer football questions from Swifties and Chiefs fans alike — no question is too small, too silly, or too “embarrassing.” If you’re confused, there are 100 others wondering the same thing. Let’s learn together — one question at a time!

Q: Explain the rules around a holding call. Where is it ok to put your hands and where it’s not? Is there a difference when it happens on offense vs defense? How many yards is the penalty?
— @RandiL05

A: Great question! Imagine trying to block someone with your hands — you’re allowed to push them, but you can’t grab or hook them like you’re hugging them or pulling on their shirt.

To avoid getting called for holding, an offensive lineman needs to keep their hands inside the defender’s shoulders—basically between the defender’s chest and armpits. If their hands are outside, on the shoulders or grabbing around the back, referees are much more likely to throw a flag for holding.

If an offensive player holds someone, it’s a 10-yard penalty. If a defensive player holds (like grabbing a receiver before the ball gets there), it’s usually a 5-yard penalty and an automatic first down.

The frustrating part is that it doesn’t always get called the same way every time — and that drives fans (specifically me) a little crazy.

Q: I understand innings and outs in baseball… Can you explain football as an analogy to baseball?
— @DebbieFineNP

A: YES — love this one, even though it is really tricky to explain. Baseball has “at bats” and “outs” to move through innings. Football is kinda like this but with downs/tries:

• Each team takes turns trying to score.

• When your team has the ball, it’s your turn to go “at bat.”

• Instead of 3 strikes, you get 4 tries (called “downs”) to move the ball 10 yards.

• If you get the 10 yards? You get a fresh set of 4 new downs.

• If not? You usually have to kick the ball to the other team and it is their turn to try! (Kind of like getting 3 outs and then the team in the field gets to bat!)

I know this can be confusing, so please ask more questions if this didn’t fully answer your question!

Q: Do you think Toney's offside call was the correct call from the 2023 Bills game?
— @Laura1375

A: The short answer? Yes, technically it was the right call — Toney was lined up a little too far forward.
But refs almost never call that unless it’s super obvious — and it usually gets a warning first. So it felt really inconsistent and unfair in such a huge moment, wthout even giving him a warning first..
That’s why fans were so upset — not because it was technically wrong, but because it’s rarely called and it took away a big play in a big moment.

Q: How about your take on the new kickoff rules implemented last year? Do you like it?
— @thardage61

A: Honestly? I do like it!
Before, most kickoffs were just touchbacks (boring). Now, the new rule encourages more exciting returns — where players actually get to run the ball back.
They moved players closer together so it’s safer (less high-speed collisions), but still keeps the thrill of watching a returner try to race up the field. It’s fun, and it makes special teams matter more!

They even made a change this year that moves a Touchback to the 35 yard line, which should encourage even more Kickoff returns!

Q: Please explain “downs” like I’m 4. I hear “second and one” and get lost every time.
— @JHarwoooood

A: Okay, let’s go super simple.

In football, when your team gets the ball, you have 4 chances to go 10 yards. Each try is called a “down.”

• 1st down = try #1

• 2nd down = try #2

• 3rd down = try #3

• 4th down = last chance

If it says “2nd and 1,” it means it’s your 2nd try, and you only need 1 yard to reach 10 and start over with a brand new 1st down. It’s like a mini progress tracker!
Get the 10 yards = keep playing. Don’t get it = kick it away (or go for it!).

So “1st and 10” would be what a drive starts at, and if they get 6 yards on the first play, it would then be “2nd and 4” because it is now their second try and they still need 4 more yards to get to 10. (10-6=4)

If on the next play they get 4 or more yards, then it will go back to “1st and 10” because the team reached their goal of getting the 10 yards and are rewarded with 4 brand new tries!

Q: Can you touch on the new “rules” or whatever got changed because the Bills are crybabies??
— @ange_hertz

A: 😄 I love the way you worded this lol… but yes, a few big rules did change after that wild Chiefs vs. Bills playoff game a few years ago and last seasons AFC Championship Game:

1. Overtime Rule:
   Now, both teams get a chance to have the ball in overtime, even if the first team scores a touchdown. This rule has been extended to the Regular season as well.
   Before, it was “first to score a TD wins,” and that felt unfair if one team never had a chance to score, simply because they lost a coin toss.

2. 1st Down Technology:
   This year, the NFL is adding tech (like lasers and sensors) to help mark where the ball actually goes instead of relying on chains and eyeballs. It’s like upgrading from a ruler to a laser pointer. Even though this only happened because of the Bills vs Chiefs game, I do think it will be good for the game in the long run!

Want your question answered in next week’s Sunday Swiftie?
Just drop your question on X and tag me (@Daily_Chiefs_)! 🎤🏈✨

❤️ If You Enjoyed This…

This newsletter took more time than I’d like to admit—but I truly loved putting it together and can’t wait to keep doing it every week.

If you enjoyed it, I’d be so grateful if you shared it with a fellow Swiftie, a football fan, or that one friend who still isn’t quite sure what a tight end is. This one’s for them!

See you next Sunday! Until then, enjoy the Daily Chiefs updates each morning. 🏈✨

🎯 Lyric Decoder Answer:

“I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.”
— Long Live 🐉

Did you catch all the pieces?