Everyone (or, at least, everyone I know, which does carry a certain gay-under-40 selection bias) is still buzzing about the whirlwind romance unfolding between Taylor Swift and football star Travis Kelce since September, and honestly, I understand why. I mean...riding away from Kelce’s big game in a convertible together? Is this a literal rom-com? Do things like this actually happen to real, mortal human beings?
As the Taylor-Travis excitement reaches a fever pitch, let us take a little trip back through time and context and remember that they’re not the first such pair to light up social media. Below, find a guide to the celeb-athlete unions that preceded Traylor. (Travaylor? Okay, I need some help with a couple name for these two.)
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
These two were the literal blueprint for the generations of actor-sportsman pairs that would come after them, despite the fact that they were only married for a year (although they did remain good friends until Monroe’s death in 1962).
Posh Spice, a.k.a. Victoria Beckham, and David Beckham
This pair is still going strong, as far as we know, with four kids, a townhouse in England, and endless endorsement deals between them, but when they first started dating in 1997, their Posh and Becks–dubbed chemistry captivated the UK (and the rest of the world).
Mandy Moore and Andy Roddick
God, remember the Mandy-Andy fever of the early aughts? The pop star-slash-actor and tennis legend seemed made for each other, though I guess they, uh, weren’t, since they broke up in 2004 (although they’re still pals, which I love).
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez
This one didn’t last, obviously, seeing as J.Lo is now Jennifer Lynn Affleck, but her four-year-long relationship (and then broken engagement) with the Yankees megastar don’t seem to have soured the pair on each other too much; Rodriguez referred to his ex as “the most talented human being” shortly after their breakup.
Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush
The Kardashian-Jenner family is now well known for dating athletes, but the relationship between the Bush and the Tush (as they were affectionately known circa 2007) arguably sparked the trend, with the two dating on and off for three years.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
I’ve written before about how much I love this couple, whether they’re standing up for LGBTQ+ rights (in honor of their trans daughter, Zaya) or simply goofing around at home. The couple that coordinates outfits together stays together, right? I certainly hope so!
Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady
Okay, this one didn’t really work out either, but the two were together for a whopping 13 years and share two children. “This is a very violent sport, and I have my children, and I would like him to be more present,” Bündchen said of Brady’s football career shortly before their split.
Ciara and Russell Wilson
As it turns out, a Denver Broncos quarterback and a singer, songwriter, businesswoman, dancer, model, and actor (yes, Ciara has been busy!) really can find love. The two met in March 2015 at a University of Wisconsin basketball game, and they’re now expecting their fourth child together.
Kerry Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha
The Scandal star and NFL player wed in 2013 in a secret ceremony, and since then they’ve mostly kept out of the spotlight (with an appearance at 2023’s Met Gala being a notable exception). Obviously, I love celebrity mess, but there’s something very classy and cool about how little I know about Washington and Asomugha’s marriage, even with the benefit of Google.
Shakira and Gerard Piqué
This couple sadly split up just last year, but before that, they were together for 11 years after meeting in 2010 on the set of the “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” music video. They have two sons together, and Shakira recently cowrote a song with lyrics describing the “hurt” of watching an ex move on.
Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood
The country singer and former NHL star have been together since 2008, after being set up by a mutual friend. The hockey player proposed about a year later and the pair now have two sons together.
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson
Also introduced by a mutual friend at a party, the American singer and former NFL player started dating in 2010. Now Simpson and Johnson have been together for over a decade, and frequently post about their three children on social media.
Kate Upton and Justin Verlander
The Sports Illustrated supermodel and Houston Astros pitcher met on the set of a video game commercial shoot in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2014 that they officially started dating. The power couple went on to marry in 2017, only a few days after Verlander won his first World Series, and have since welcomed their first child—a daughter named Genevieve.
Eric Decker and Jessie James Decker
James Decker, a singer, talks about the early days of her and Decker’s relationship in her memoir, recalling how the former NFL player texted her first after being put in touch through a mutual friend in 2011. A wedding, a reality TV show, and three children later, the celebrity couple is still happily married—with a fourth child on the way.
Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias
In the lead-up to their meet-cute, Iglesias had reached new heights in his career after performing at the Super Bowl XXXIV halftime show, while Kournikova played several successful seasons across major tennis tournaments. The Latin pop star and former professional tennis player then met while filming one of Iglesias’s music videos in 2001. While they aren’t married, they’ve now been together for over two decades, and share three children—two of whom are twins.
