Travis Kelce is moving back to defense.

Romance rumours between Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end have been swirling ever since the Grammy winner’s surprise appearance at Arrowhead Stadium on 24 September. Since then, the pair have only added fuel to the dating specuation, and this weekend they truly made the night sparkle when they showed up together to the Saturday Night Live after-party at Catch.

According to Entertainment Tonight, sources at the event confirmed Swift and Kelce were very touchy-feely. “They kissed throughout the evening,” one insider claimed, while another said: “They were holding hands throughout the night, whispering into each other’s ear, and they even exchanged some kisses.”

While the professional athlete and the pop star already appeared attached at the hip, one source reported overhearing Kelce telling the “Anti-Hero” singer’s bodyguard to stand down.

“At one point, he actually told her security guard that he could step aside, like he’d take it from here,” the insider noted.

Following news that Kelce reportedly stepped up as Swift’s “security” for the night, fans took to social media where they emphasised their love for the protective football player.

“If this is true, omfg hot,” @takeyourzoloft wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“This is becoming a romance novel,” another person pointed out, while one user said: “OMG ppl, he’s being a gentleman. Nothing wrong with wanting to protect your woman.”

Some commenters weren’t as pleased by Kelce’s assertion of dominance. “How ‘bout letting the woman who hired security decide when they can step aside,” one critic noted.

“Huge red flag, sorry. Her safety is more important than his need to be whatever he just asserted himself to be there,” another person added.

According to People, Kelce was more than capable of watching over Swift the entire night, as one source recalled how the NFL star and the singer were engrossed in an intimate moment during the night out. The source claimed Kelce took “both [Swift’s] hands and put them on his shoulder” and took “both his hands and [grabbed] her waist.”

“They’re leaning in, they’re kissing each other. They’re whispering,” the source told the outlet. “They’re talking, going back and forth about what to order, like: ‘Should we get a steak? Should we get espresso martinis?’ And then they lean in and they’re kissing again. They’re touching each other the whole time.”

Additionally, Kelce seemed to be checking in on Swift the entire night. He was seen “going over and touching her, putting his hand on her lower back or putting his hands on her waist and then they would do a little kiss and then they would go back to talking to whoever they were talking to,” the source said.

Both Swift and Kelce were reportedly mingling separately and together during the SNL season 40 premiere party. Though neither of them has confirmed their relationship status, another insider told Page Six what they think about the rumoured couple after seeing them in person.

“They do seem in love. She seemed really excited around him, and giddy and happy like a schoolgirl,” the source told Page Six. “They were holding each other and talking and kissing, in the main spot where the waiters and people had to walk by. They didn’t care or move. They are in their own world.”

On Sunday, Kelce was seen leaving Swift’s New York City apartment in a green tracksuit before heading to MetLife Stadium for his brother’s Philadelphia Eagles game against the New York Jets. Despite Swift’s recent football sightings, she did not accompany her rumoured boyfriend to Jason Kelce’s game.