Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift reportedly tied the knot last Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. While the guest list for the high-profile ceremony exceeded 1,000 people, sources indicate a surprisingly sparse turnout from Kelce’s teammates, with kicker Harrison Butker notably absent and allegedly not invited.

According to an anonymous member of the Chiefs speaking to the Daily Mail, “I think maybe half the team went, probably less.” The low attendance wasn’t attributed to animosity, but rather a mix of scheduling conflicts, a reluctance to spend the July 4th holiday weekend in New York, and difficulties for some players in bringing their children to the event. “A lot of people RSVP’d no, not because of anything bad, but because of a conflict,” another Chiefs member explained to the Daily Mail. “I didn’t go because I didn’t want to spend the 4th in New York and couldn’t bring my kids.”

Butker’s controversial absence

The most significant absence, however, was that of Harrison Butker. The three-time Super Bowl champion kicker was reportedly not extended an invitation to the wedding, a decision that has sparked differing opinions among some Chiefs players.

Butker’s alleged exclusion follows a controversial commencement speech he delivered at Benedictine College in May 2024. During his address, Butker criticized “diabolical lies told to women” regarding abortion, surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization (IVF), and encouraged female graduates to prioritize becoming “homemakers.” Kelce himself publicly distanced himself from these remarks on his ‘New Heights’ podcast, stating he didn’t agree “with the majority of” Butker’s views.

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While some Chiefs players reportedly felt Butker was “snubbed,” others understood the couple’s decision. “It’s really their wedding and I understand why they wouldn’t have invited [Butker],” a Chiefs player told the Daily Mail. This same player highlighted the perceived tension between Butker and Swift’s public persona, noting, “He came at [Swift, who has prioritized an extremely successful career] first, it kind of was shade in the speech. And since when are you required to invite everyone to a wedding? They act like coworkers, not friends.” This sentiment reportedly reflects the general dynamic between Kelce and Butker, characterized more by professional association than close friendship.

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