Conservative NFL kicker Harrison Butker was reportedly the only Kansas City Chiefs teammate denied an invitation to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift&#8217;s massive New York City wedding.
Despite being teammates with Kelce since 2017, Butker did not make the guest list of approximately 1,000 people, an NFL source told the Daily Mail. It&#8217;s believed that every other player on the team received an invite, the report noted.
Butker made journalists&#8217; heads spin two years ago when he praised stay-at-home mothers during a commencement speech at Kansas City&#8217;s Benedictine College, a Catholic school.
&#8220;How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?&#8221; Butker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chiefs-star-chris-jones-defends-harrison-butker-amid-backlash-and-hes-not-alone">said</a> during the commencement speech. &#8220;Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
“It cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker,” he added.
It&#8217;s unclear, however, if Butker&#8217;s remarks had anything to do with the apparent wedding invitation snub. Following the controversy, Kelce actually spoke highly of his kicker, though he said he disagrees with Butker&#8217;s views.
&#8220;I cherish him as a teammate,&#8221; Kelce said. &#8220;He&#8217;s treated friends and family that I&#8217;ve introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness.&#8221;
&#8220;When it comes down to his views &#8230; those are his,&#8221; the three-time Super Bowl champ added. &#8220;I can&#8217;t say I agree with the majority of it, or just about any of it, outside of just him loving his family and his kids.&#8221;
Kelce and Swift tied the knot on Friday at Madison Square Garden. As noted by The Daily Wire, comedian Adam Sandler served as the officiant at the wedding. Kelce bonded with Sandler while filming “Happy Gilmore 2.”
“The bride and groom’s wedding ceremony looks have been created by Christian Dior Haute Couture,” Swift’s team said in a statement. “Their shoes were custom made by Christian Louboutin and the bride wore Cartier jewelry.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-renewal-starts-at-the-altar?author=Lois+McLatchie+Miller&amp;category=Upstream&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=8&amp;rowHeadline=New+on+Upstream&amp;rowType=Article+Carousel&amp;title=American+Renewal+Starts+At+The+Altar">American Renewal Starts At The Altar</a>

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Conservative Chiefs Kicker Reportedly Snubbed From Travis And Taylor’s Wedding

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Travis Kelce

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This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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RSVP like you mean it, y’all, because it’s wedding season. But this year, standing by your bestie as she says “I do” comes with a soul-crushing price tag. Grab a bottle of Veuve and get ready for a shocking lesson in “girl math.” 
Just like Kristen Wiig’s character in “Bridesmaids,” <a href="https://youtu.be/sf9038zMVgo?t=22">“I’m excited, and I feel relaxed, and I’m ready to parrrrrr-tayyyyyy!”</a> The <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/publications/weo/issues/2026/04/14/world-economic-outlook-april-2026">economy’s sluggish</a>, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/style/marriage-decline-delay.html">people are less likely to get married</a>, but the <a href="https://www.theknotww.com/press-releases/the-knot-worldwide-unveils-2026-real-weddings-study">$100 billion</a> wedding industry in the U.S. continues to thrive. 
Roughly 2 million couples tied the knot in 2025, with <a href="https://www.theknotww.com/press-releases/the-knot-worldwide-unveils-2026-real-weddings-study">77%</a> of those who said the economy affected their plans claiming they spent more, not less. Apparently, “something borrowed” refers to all the cash in the wedding party’s savings accounts. 
These days, the average wedding costs <a href="https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/average-wedding-cost">$36,000</a>, but it’s not surprising to see couples shell out <a href="https://www.zola.com/expert-advice/whats-the-average-cost-of-a-wedding">$100,000</a> or more for the party of the year. <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/09/06/lifestyle/why-gen-z-is-saying-no-to-being-a-bridesmaid-and-its-not-just-the-cost/">Allison Cullman</a>, vice president of marketing for wedding planning site Zola, blames extravagant spending on the limitless inspiration of social media. Decades before, brides were stuck with “wedding magazines and binders.” 
With <a href="https://www.eonline.com/photos/38028/2026-celebrity-weddings">high-profile nuptials</a> from stars like Lainey Wilson already on the books for #WeddingSzn26, and <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/04/09/entertainment/taylor-swift-and-travis-kelces-wedding-date-and-location-revealed-as-save-the-dates-go-out/">Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s</a> semi-secret ceremony likely to flood social media in July, there’s a cultural script to go big or go home when it comes to the big bash. 
As Kansas City Chiefs co-owner <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/18/sports/chiefs-heiress-gracie-hunts-lavish-wedding-will-feature-14-bridesmaids/">Clark Hunt</a>’s daughter Gracie Hunt recently revealed via Instagram, every detail matters. The billionaire heiress invited <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYYIIGRJUaL/">14 bridesmaids</a> to participate in her upcoming wedding. We can assume Hunt and Co. covered the fresh flowers, catering, personalized bubbly, and Sugarfina champagne gummy bears. But the rest of the #BrideTribe probably spent significant dough on floral tea dresses, matching clutches, hair, makeup, and party heels.
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“There is something so special about being surrounded by women who make you feel stronger, wiser, softer, and closer to Jesus just by knowing them,” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYaDqYfDmb3/?img_index=1">Gracie posted</a>. “My heart is overwhelmingly grateful for each of these friendships and the gift of getting to do life together.”
It’s a blindingly beautiful message. But logistically, these warm fuzzies come at a price. For those who might not be funded by an heiress bride, the cost of entry into this bridal supporting cast is astronomical compared to the estimated <a href="https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-guest-cost">$610</a> to be a regular wedding guest. 
This is the reality. Bridesmaids throw down on <a href="https://thewed.com/magazine/the-real-cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid-in-2026">dresses</a>, shoes, shapewear, jewelry, alterations, bachelorette blowouts, travel, lodging, spray tans, and Instagrammable looks for the wedding weekend.
All-in, the bridesmaid life can cost anywhere from $1,500 to <a href="https://www.brides.com/cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid-2025-11702605">$5,000</a> per wedding. The tally only rises from there for destination ceremonies, bachelorette vacations, plus-ones, and babysitters. And don’t forget to peep those bridal shower and wedding registries. Waterford crystal flutes don’t buy themselves.
Add to that the potential emotional cost of a viral wardrobe malfunction during the reception entrance, like the bridesmaid who did “<a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/bridesmaid-wardrobe-malfunction-wedding-dance-goes-viral/">The Worm</a>” in a dress she may never want to show her face in again. This is your gift for agreeing to give 100% support with zero decision-making ability regarding the festivities.
“I cannot believe I have to walk down the aisle in front of 200 people looking like something you drink when you’re nauseous,” Rachel said on “<a href="https://youtu.be/81J7Oco3_VQ?t=20">Friends</a>” while dressed in a Pepto-colored tulle disaster of a bridesmaid’s dress. Pay up, girl. You wouldn’t want your BFF4EVR to catch wind that you aren’t in it to win it.
Even when your eyes are wide open, surprise expenditures add up fast. “My total costs ended up being $3,500 at the end of the year after a bunch of events (that I didn&#8217;t know I had to pay for) and keeping up with the bougie tastes of the other bridesmaids,” noted one reluctant <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/wedding/comments/1px1tzo/comment/nwaboxq/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">wedding attendant</a>. “I sincerely regret saying yes because I ended up being extremely stressed over money all the time (I was not making much then).”
Someone else spelled out the truth for everyone but the newlyweds when they <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/wedding/comments/1px1tzo/comment/nwe6s0t/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">wrote</a>, “While your wedding might be the most important day of your life, it&#8217;s not the most important day for everyone else.” 
There’s an emotional cost as well since you weren’t invited to be a bridesmaid for nothing. Maybe you were best friends as kids, you held each other’s hair after college parties, or you cried with each other through heartbreak. Can you put a price on hurt feelings or strained friendships after declining a bridesmaid proposal? And there’s the inevitable knife to the gut when you see the #LoveAtFirstSwipe and #BrideOrDie carousels on Instagram, minus you. It’s even worse if several different friends are getting hitched in the same year.
Still, despite the social pressure to say yes to the financial mess, some would-be bridesmaids are unapologetically saying “no thanks” to the gig. 
“We need to normalize saying no to being people’s bridesmaids,” one maid of honor posted to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@steph_greenstreet/video/7396553847906372897">TikTok</a>. “This is hard work … it’s okay to assess whether you can do it.”
One <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheGirlSurvivalGuide/comments/vcsyno/comment/ichhc5g/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Redditor</a> wished they had spoken up before being subjected to an over-the-top bridesmaid proposal. “I really felt forced to say yes because I was handed a box of goodies including a personalized wine glass, and asked at the same time as others, in front of a room full of people,” they said. “It [was] so not me, I was really bummed that my friend didn’t know me well enough not to ask me like that.”
“Being in someone’s wedding is much more expensive than simply attending,” Chicago-based wedding planner, <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-rsvp-no-wedding-invitation.html">Kia Marie</a>, says. “It can cost $4,000 or $5,000 or more, between the dress, the makeup, the bachelorette party, travel expenses, staying in a hotel for multiple days — that’s not money that anyone should take lightly.”
Hey … [Repeatedly taps a fork on a wine glass] … before this all ends in shredded peonies and a shattered champagne tower at some Airbnb villa in the South of France, can we agree to bring normal weddings back? We’re trying to get good people hitched, not gatekeep marriage for the .01%. 
Here comes everyone to tell us they got married in a trash bag in the alleyway behind the courthouse for $18 and they’ve been happily married for 90 years. (Okay, maybe <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/1naaiud/comment/ncsytiq/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">that’s</a> not for everyone.) But a <a href="https://simplyeloped.com/blog/why-do-couples-elope/">70% increase</a> in elopements shows more couples are going for intentional, personal, and often more affordable weddings. 
Others are skipping the formal ceremony in favor of relaxed <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/key-wedding-micro-trends-of-2026">parties</a> (and exchanging rings privately). Potluck buffets, dual-purpose engagement-to-wedding bands, and bespoke cakes all signal smaller wedding day budgets — and savings that get passed down to bridesmaids-turned-guests of honor. 
If all goes well, the whole crew gets to spend a day celebrating the ultimate commitment between two of their favorite people. And pretend like they’re hearing “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtOvBOTyX00&amp;list=RDrtOvBOTyX00&amp;start_radio=1">A Thousand Years</a>” by Christina Perri at a wedding for the very first time, till death do us part.

The One Wedding Trend Draining Young Women’s Bank Accounts

brides

bridesmaid

gracie hunt

Money

Upstream

wedding cost

weddings

The Kansas City Chiefs missed the NFL playoffs for the first time in a decade, but the team is still making headlines for off-the-field issues.
Wednesday night, the Chiefs told ESPN they are aware of the allegations made by Kansas City wide receiver Rashee Rice&#8217;s ex-girlfriend.
&#8220;The club is aware of the allegations on social media and is in communication with the National Football League,&#8221; the Chiefs said in a statement. &#8220;We have no further comment at this time.&#8221;
Dacoda Nichole Jones, who shares two kids with Rice, posted pictures on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTOPYNZFHRT/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">Instagram</a> Wednesday of cuts and bruises on her face, arms, and other parts of her body, as well as damage to walls and cabinets. Jones claims she has dealt with abuse for eight years.
In the post, Jones doesn&#8217;t name Rice, but said the abuse came at the hands of the father of her children. She also accused the father of her kids of putting his hands on her while she was pregnant.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve protected his image too long, and I&#8217;m done doing that,&#8221; Jones said. &#8220;It&#8217;s time to protect my peace, protect my children and stand up for myself.&#8221;
Jones also claimed in her post that her abuser cut up her clothes and shoes and left her and the children in Kansas.
&#8220;He tries to put on this persona like he’s dad of the year. He does the bare minimum,&#8221; Jones said.
Just as Jones didn&#8217;t name Rice in her post, the Chiefs&#8217; statement didn&#8217;t specify if the allegations related to Rice.
Per ESPN, as of Wednesday night, Jones had yet to file a police report.
Last July, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in prison plus five years&#8217; probation for his involvement in a multi-car crash in Dallas in March 2024, where multiple people were injured.
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to the two third-degree felony charges. As part of his plea, he received deferred adjudication. Upon completion of his probation, that case will be dismissed.
According to ESPN, Rice and his friends fled on foot before police arrived at the crash scene.
Because of the incident, Rice served a six-game suspension at the start of the 2025 season for violating the NFL&#8217;s personal conduct policy.
After coming back from his suspension, Rice was a productive part of the Chiefs&#8217; offense in 2025. He had 53 receptions for 571 yards and a team-high five touchdowns.
The Daily Wire has reached out to the Kansas City Chiefs for comment.

Credit: Cooper Neill via Getty Images

Kansas City Chiefs React To Star Receiver Being In Hot Water Again

Kansas City Chiefs "Aware" Of Allegations Made By Rashee Rice Ex-Girlfriend

News

Taylor Swift is officially off the market, and it’s no coincidence that America’s most beloved pop star didn’t say yes to another brooding actor, a melodramatic musician, or even some tortured poet. She ended up engaged to 6-foot-5, 250-pound Travis Kelce, a Super Bowl champ with a well-groomed mustache and a macho swagger. 
In other words, after years of dating men typically referred to as artsy “soy boys,” Swift said yes to the quintessential jock.
Swift may be an unapologetic lib, and Kelce may have shilled for Pfizer during the COVID pandemic, but this celebrity pairing actually bodes well for conservatives. Someone with her massive cultural influence over women is bound to start trends, and thanks to this latest development, old-school proposals and traditional marriage might be officially back in style. It’s only a matter of time before wedding-themed earworms start taking over the airwaves. 
Photos of the staged proposal were straight out of Swift&#8217;s wildest dreams. Kelce got down on one knee in a sun-dappled garden. The pop star is wearing a sundress and a soft smile. Swift posted a photo of the ring alongside the caption, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” 
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For this particular Hollywood love story, there was no girl bossing, no modern twists, no glorification of living in sin forever. This viral moment had everyone swooning because it was – gasp! – traditional. That makes it a cultural win for conservatives, even if the main characters are leftists through and through.
And there’s something very significant about the man Swift chose to spend forever with. This wasn’t a petulant man-child or anti-hero with a guitar and endless pathos. This is a bruising, six-foot-five athlete who knows how to win and isn’t afraid to go after what he wants.
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Kelce took the lead from the very outset of their relationship. In 2023, during Swift’s Kansas City tour stop, he confessed on his “New Heights” podcast that he tried to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it. When she didn’t get it, he joked about being “butt-hurt.”
Swift later said she thought his attempt was “metal as hell.” The nation’s biggest pop star admitted that confidence and directness are attractive. In an age when men are told to be sensitive, to cry, to ask permission before winking at a woman or sending a DM, Kelce came in strong with a solid attempt without any creepy overture. That’s the difference between being a man who leads and a boy who cries about not getting his way.
In so many ways, this isn’t just another celebrity love story. It’s a reminder of something our culture has tried to forget: women are biologically wired to be drawn to strength, confidence, and dominance. For centuries, and across cultures, overtly masculine traits like physical strength and the ability to protect and provide have been considered signs of a good partnership for women. These days, it&#8217;s written off as dated, old-fashioned, or, worse, &#8220;toxic.&#8221; But Swift’s decision to commit to Kelce speaks to the truth of women’s attraction to certain types of men on a deeper level.
Women are naturally drawn to a strong jawline, a muscular build, and height as cues of sound genetic fitness. This hasn’t changed for much of human history, despite so many current attempts to downplay it. 
It’s easy to see the difference when comparing her romance with Kelce to Swift’s ex-lovers. The “Shake It Off” singer has famously dated a lineup of artsy men, including indie actors and sensitive musicians who made more appearances in her lyrics than they did in the spotlight. This may have been a boon for fans craving the next great breakup song, but it wasn’t ideal for Swift herself. 
Joe Jonas. Jake Gyllenhaal. Lucas Till. John Mayer. Harry Styles. Joe Alwyn. Swift’s list of exes sounds like a who’s who list in the tortured soul competition she knows all too well. 
Kelce also doesn&#8217;t appear threatened by Swift’s fame or popularity. As a professional athlete, he&#8217;s accustomed to playing for tens of thousands of fans on any given Sunday. And even if Swift is on a different level in terms of fame and notoriety, so far, he hasn’t appeared fazed by the newfound attention. The NFL star seems smitten, just like the rest of her fans. 
Underneath all the glitz and glamour, this story is simple. Taylor Swift, the most successful female artist of her generation, chose strength. She chose a man who could protect, provide, and lead. She chose someone who isn’t afraid of pressure. 
That’s not an accident. It’s not a coincidence. It’s biology at work. Real men, whether they’re referred to as jocks, providers, or alphas, are usually winners because they&#8217;re wired for it. Feminists can whine about &#8220;toxic masculinity,&#8221; but human nature is what it is. Women like Swift, at their core, seek strength that complements their own. As she sings in &#8220;So High School,&#8221; a song inspired by Kelce, &#8220;You know how to ball, I know Aristotle.&#8221; 
It&#8217;s poetic. After so many artsy flings with overly sensitive men, she&#8217;s going home with the jock. Ladies, take note: nature always wins.

Kelce and Swift

No More Tortured Poets: Taylor Swift Picked The Quintessential Jock

No More Tortured Poets: Taylor Swift Picked The Gym Teacher

Entertainment

Marriage

Masculinity

romance

swifties

Country star Zach Bryan, who is an outspoken Philadelphia Eagles fan, recently vowed never to return to Kansas City for a performance. 
“Where are all the three peat people from last year:/,” the singer <a href="https://x.com/zachlanebryan/status/1953888844342087704">wrote</a> in an X post shared on August 8. 
The 29-year-old recording artist was referring to the results of the Super Bowl earlier this year when the Eagles shut down the Chiefs as they tried to make NFL history by winning three consecutive championship games. 
“Go f*** yourself. You keep talking that sh** and yet tour here. Don’t come back,” one popular reply said.
This led to one person in the comments hitting back about the Chiefs’ record, saying that the singer has “singled out” the “same fanbase that sells out his shows.” 
Bryan chimed in, saying even though he’d been there before, he’d never come back to Chiefs territory.
“Please understand I will never play in Kansas City,” the musician wrote alongside a repost of the user’s comment.
“I’ll be about to finish my show and then get a taunting call if I play at that stadium,” Bryan added.
The same commenter asked him to “take us off your live album too,” which likely referred to one of the times he played there in the past. The song in question is most likely “Fifth of May &#8211; Live from Kansas City.” Bryan said he would do it.
“Done brother,” he <a href="https://x.com/zachlanebryan/status/1953918106536903059">wrote</a>.
Bryan wasn’t content to leave the online feud there. Instead, he posted several more statements, writing, “I missed it here guys let’s piss some people off.” 
“Bro all u have to do to piss off a chiefs fan is play a fair game of football,” the “Something in the Orange” singer added in a follow-up.
“Guys it’s okay to talk trash to each other about football [y’all] are weird as hell,” Bryan <a href="https://x.com/zachlanebryan/status/1953933950097010857">wrote</a> later.
While some Chiefs fans were annoyed by Bryan’s comments, other followers jumped to his defense.
“Amen,” one person wrote in reply to the singer advocating for trash talk amongst football fans.
“It’s football … sensitive world now man,” echoed another.

Zach Bryan

After Squabble With Chiefs Fans, Country Star Says He’ll ‘Never Play In Kansas City Again’

After Squabble With Chiefs Fans, Country Star Says He'll 'Never Play In Kansas City Again'

Country Music

Kansas City

Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl

Gracie Hunt, the daughter of the Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, mourned the loss of her 9-year-old cousin Janie Hunt, who was one of at least 27 campers and counselors tragically killed in the floods that suddenly engulfed Camp Mystic last weekend. 
Hunt <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0hBPwOrBA/">posted</a> a message on Monday to her Instagram account, offering a tribute to the deceased and sharing a hopeful message from the Bible to her followers. 
“Some days, it’s hard to understand how the world can hold both so much beauty and so much pain,” she wrote. “How can the same God who created the stars and set the planets in motion allow such deep suffering? The truth is, we live in a broken world—one that groans for redemption (Romans 8). But Scripture promises that one day, Christ will make all things new—a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13).”
“My heart aches for our extended family and friends who lost daughters – for every life lost and every family shattered by the floods in Texas. I don’t have easy answers, but I do know this: following Jesus doesn’t spare us from pain – but it means we never face it alone.”
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The death toll from the Texas flash floods has risen beyond 100 people in the state. In Kerr County, where Camp Mystic is located, first responders have recovered the bodies of 84 people, 28 of whom were children. 
Ten girls from Camp Mystic and a counselor are still missing. The camp’s 74-year-old director, Dick Eastland, was killed in the flooding, along with Chloe Childress, an 18-year-old camp counselor.
Hunt ended her message with encouragement, asking her followers to “hold on to hope,” and shared verses from 2 Corinthians and Psalms. 
“Even in the darkest valleys, we hold on to the hope that this is not the end of the story,” she posted.
&nbsp;

NFL: DEC 08 Chargers at Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs Heiress Turns To Scripture After 9-Year-Old Cousin Killed In Texas Flood

Bible

flooding

Floods

Texas

U.S.

Both the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals made their homes in Missouri in the 1960s. The teams won a combined six titles in the decades that followed, making Kansas City one of the most successful “<a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/mlb/smallest-cities-with-mlb-team-bm23/">small</a>” sports cities in the United States.
But there’s an economic fight brewing over the teams, a fight between two cities of the same name: Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. 
The historic Kansas City sports franchises currently play in two of the oldest stadiums still used by professional sports teams. The Chiefs’ famed Arrowhead Stadium <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/oldest-nfl-stadiums">opened</a> in 1972, and the Royals’ Kauffman Stadium <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2025/05/31/oldest-stadiums-mlb-active-baseball/83964425007/">opened</a> a year later. But decades of the Chiefs and Royals playing at Arrowhead and Kauffman and calling Missouri home are at risk of coming to an end as plans have been drawn up for the teams to move just across the Missouri River to Kansas City, Kansas — and Kansas lawmakers are actively seeking to bring the teams across state lines. 
On Monday, what promises to be a heated special session began in the Missouri State Legislature. The special session will, in part, address ways to keep the teams in the state, such as funding for improvements to the Chiefs’ stadium and a potential new ballpark on the Missouri side of the border for the Royals. 
Missouri&#8217;s Republican Governor, Mike Kehoe, is fighting to keep both teams in Missouri, as their neighbors in Kansas have offered big stadium incentives for the Chiefs and Royals to move across the Missouri River.
But the Chiefs and Royals — and the stadiums that they call home — come with an eye-popping cost, a cost that requires help from government handouts. According to the <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article307476771.html">Kansas City Star</a>, a new stadium for the Royals could cost over $1 billion, while renovations for Arrowhead could come with a pricetag of $800 million. 
The cost is worth it to the governor. According to Kehoe’s office, the Chiefs “contribute $575 million annually in economic value and over 4,500 jobs in Jackson County alone, bringing the State of Missouri nearly $30 million in annual tax revenue,” while a “new Royals ballpark district is expected to support 8,400 jobs and generate $1.2 billion in economic output annually.”  
In a statement to The Daily Wire, a Kehoe spokeswoman said that the governor “has been working for months to develop a competitive package to keep both the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs in Missouri where they belong.”
Conservative Republicans in the Missouri Freedom Caucus, however, don’t buy the governor’s economic estimations and don’t want to use taxpayer dollars for the benefit of billionaire owners. Instead, the Freedom Caucus Republicans argue that the state should focus on helping average Missourians with tax cuts. 
“I hate the thought of billions of taxpayer dollars going to fund bread and circuses, to be honest with you,” Republican State Senator Rick Brattin told The Daily Wire. “And that’s exactly what this is, especially when you see the Royals posting the ‘Pride’ stuff and totally disconnected from reality.” 
Brattin added that the Royals can “move to Kansas for all I care,” saying that the team’s games are “sparsely attended.”  
The state senator said his colleagues are prepared to negotiate with the governor to come to an agreement on tax cuts for all Missourians in exchange for stadium funding. He argued that incentives offered to the billionaire sports owners should be matched with tax cuts for average citizens. 
Some Democrats are also questioning the stadium funding, arguing that more money should be allotted for disaster relief after a major <a href="https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PNSLSX&amp;e=202505190006">tornado</a> struck St. Louis in May, killing five people and injuring dozens more. 
Paying for major stadium upgrades — or a new stadium — is a major cost for even the billionaire owners of sports franchises. In most cases, cities and states will chip in by offering government subsidies and tax incentives. The return on such a massive investment, however, is minimal for state and city governments, according to John C. Mozena, the president of the Center for Economic Accountability. 
Mozena told The Daily Wire in a phone interview that the economic projections on the stadiums touted by Kehoe’s office are “incredibly flawed.” 
“There is virtually nothing that economists agree on more than the idea that stadiums are terrible investments for governments and terrible economic development tools,” Mozena said. “The reason for that is really simple, it’s that stadiums spend almost their entire lives dark, empty, and silent. Most of the time, there’s nothing going on there.” 
Mozena added that a baseball stadium might draw up to three million people in a good season, which is “about what a single good-sized Walmart Supercenter might do.” 
“These are big facilities with a lot of infrastructure around them that barely ever get used and end up being economic black holes,” said Mozena.  
The stadium funding battle reignites a familiar fight, one that Missouri and Kansas once fought over Applebee&#8217;s. From the 1980s through the early 2000s, Applebee&#8217;s moved its headquarters from Missouri to Kansas and back to Missouri, lured by competing tax incentives. The economic “<a href="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/668790306">border war</a>” over Applebee&#8217;s ended when the restaurant chain moved to Southern California in 2023. 
The governor is positioning the war over the Chiefs and the Royals as another battle to keep jobs in the state. 
“Governor Kehoe views these efforts as important economic development retention projects, and believes Missouri’s proposal must be competitive to keep these major economic engines in the state, while also being a good deal for taxpayers,” his spokeswoman told The Daily Wire. 
Andy Roth, the president of the State Freedom Caucus Network, said the economic argument doesn’t add up.
“What’s particularly nuts about this whole thing is, by the governor’s own admission, they’re worried the Chiefs and the Royals are going to move 10 miles to the west,” Roth told The Daily Wire. “It’s not like they’re going to Seattle or Florida or New York. They’re literally just going across the road.”  
The economic border war over the two franchises likely won&#8217;t come to an end until at least the end of June as Missouri lawmakers seek to work out a deal with the governor. Kansas’ offer for the Chiefs and Royals is also coming off the table at the end of June, according to Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, the Kansas City Star <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article307452161.html">reported</a>. 
“If one of them wants to — or both — wants to come to Kansas, we’d love to have them,” Hawkins said. “We have the tools.”

KC-Stadiums

A Tale Of Two Kansas Cities: Chiefs And Royals Spark Political Battle With Potential Stadium Moves

Kansas

Missouri

Republicans

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday that the Philadelphia Eagles “enthusiastically accepted” an invitation to come to the White House and celebrate the team’s Super Bowl victory.
During the weekly <a href="https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1899520433092727069">press briefing</a>, Leavitt said she wanted to clear up some fake news about whether or not the White House had extended an invitation to the team, making it clear they had, and that the team was coming following the Eagles&#8217; victory against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX.
“I can confirm that the Philadelphia Eagles will be here at the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory,&#8221; Leavitt said.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="KAROLINE LEAVITT reveals when the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES will visit the WHITE HOUSE" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8E0WpC3rkkQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;I know there was a lot of fake news about an invitation that wasn&#8217;t sent or was sent &#8212; we want to correct the record. We sent an invitation. They enthusiastically accepted and you will see them here on April 28.&#8221;
President Donald Trump recently said the Eagles “deserve” to come to the White House and announced that an invite would be extended to the Super Bowl-winning team.
“They will be, we haven’t yet, but we will be,” <a href="https://x.com/PHLEaglesNation/status/1894504092040306744">Trump said</a>. “I thought it was a great performance by them. Absolutely, they’ll be extended that invitation.”
The president then called on one of the members of his team to “do that right away.”
“We’re going to do it sometime today,” Trump said. “And they deserve to be down here. And we hope to see them.”
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter previously went viral when he shut down rumors and reports floating around on social media claiming the Eagles had declined an invite to attend a ceremony at the White House from Trump.
“To those wondering: Eagles sources say the team is planning on visiting the White House this off-season and looks forward to receiving its invitation,” Schefter posted on <a href="https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1894156616246645034">X</a>, making it clear an invitation hadn’t even gone out yet.
In 2018, the Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII and did not make the trip to the White House due to Trump’s stance that players should stand for the national anthem.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-deserve-to-be-down-here-trump-announces-white-house-invite-to-eagles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘They Deserve To Be Down Here’: Trump Announces White House Invite To Eagles</a>

Jalen Hurts-1

Press Sec Confirms Philadelphia Eagles ‘Enthusiastically Accepted’ White House Invite

Donald Trump

Executive

Karoline Leavitt

White House

The National Football League is looking to replace its chain-gang measurement system with the high-tech Hawk-Eye virtual technology to measure first downs starting with the 2025 season.
“Among the interesting items from an NFL football ops session with media: the Hawk-Eye virtual measurement for line to gain is slated to replace the chains as the primary measurement system for the regular season in 2025,” an <a href="https://x.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1894862511955923004" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a> post on Wednesday from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo read.
“The chain gang will remain on sidelines as a backup,” he added. “Average time to measure with the chains: 75 seconds. Virtual measurements in the testing phase: 30 seconds.”
The league said that an average of 12 weekly measurements took place during last season, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/02/26/sports/nfl-is-finally-replacing-antiquated-chain-gang/">New York Post</a> noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Among the interesting items from an NFL football ops session with media: the Hawk-Eye virtual measurement for line to gain is slated to replace the chains as the primary measurement system for the regular season in 2025.
The chain gang will remain on sidelines as a backup. <a href="https://t.co/v9exggobVc">pic.twitter.com/v9exggobVc</a>
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1894862511955923004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
The decision can be made without a vote from the owners of the 32 NFL teams, <a href="https://x.com/MarkMaske/status/1894862693628006694">according to The Washington Post</a>.
“The whole effort was to begin taking a look at it, to see what worked, what didn’t work,” Walt Anderson, the NFL’s officiating rules analyst and club communications liaison, said back in August, per the outlet.
Interestingly, the officials must first place the ball on the field manually following the play and then the Hawk-Eye virtual measurement will assess if a ball has made it past the line to gain or not, the Post noted.
“This is post spotting the ball,” NFL senior vice president of football business strategy Kimberly Fields told The Washington Post. “The officials on the field will still determine where forward progress ends.”
The technology was first tested during the 2024 preseason, with a growing group calling for it to become a reality following what some felt was a questionable first-down call during the AFC Championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
However, the Hawk-Eye virtual measurement might not have had an effect on the Chiefs-Buffalo game because the officials on the field are the ones who determine if Bills QB Josh Allen would’ve gained a first down in the game or not. During that playoffs game, the officials determined Allen was indeed short of the first down after he attempted to do a quarterback sneak.
The ball was then handed over to the Chiefs, who went down and scored and eventually went on to win the game, securing the team&#8217;s third straight trip to the Super Bowl.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/insulting-and-preposterous-nfl-goes-on-defense-regarding-ref-calls-for-chiefs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Insulting And Preposterous’: NFL Goes On Defense Regarding Ref Calls For Chiefs</a>

NFL: DEC 15 Dolphins at Giants

NFL To Replace Chains With Tech To Measure First Downs

Buffalo Bills

General

Referees

Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce appears to have made a decision about whether or not he’s retiring from the NFL, telling podcast host Pat McAfee he’s returning for another season.
During “<a href="https://x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1895175295520645395">The Pat McAfee Show</a>” on Thursday, the host said he had been hearing reports about Kelce possibly sticking around for a 13th season and decided to message his sources, which turned out to be the Super Bowl-winning tight end himself.
McAfee said his text from sources read, “I’m coming back for sure. Gonna try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I reached out to source(s) on the future of <a href="https://twitter.com/tkelce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tkelce</a>..
Source(s) said I&#8217;M COMING BACK FOR SURE..
I&#8217;m gonna get in the best shape of my life this offseason..
I&#8217;ve got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and I can&#8217;t go out like that!!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMSLive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMSLive</a> <a href="https://t.co/HqfpdqEjqa">pic.twitter.com/HqfpdqEjqa</a>
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1895175295520645395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
“And get back to the mountaintop,” the host added. “Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!”
The host noted that the text ended in multiple exclamation points making it clear Kelce is coming back to play another year with Chiefs.
Talk of retirement really took off following the Chiefs&#8217; failure to secure a three-peat Super Bowl victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
Following the Super Bowl loss, Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes seemed to be unsure if Kelce would be back.
Mahomes said he would “let Travis make that decision on his own. He&#8217;s given so much to this team and to the NFL. And he&#8217;s been such a joy, not only for me to work with, but for people to watch.&#8221;
During the NFL Combines this week, Kansas City Chiefs GM <a href="https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1894560760207941762">Brett Veach</a> talked about Kelce’s future.
“We anticipate Travis being back,” Veach said. “We’re excited to have Travis back and that’s how we’re operating this offseason.”
“He [Kelce] was battling with a pretty big illness there before the Super Bowl,” he added. “I think Travis is excited to come back. He makes us better when he’s in our locker room and on the field and excited to get him back.”
Kelce goes into the 2025 season at 35-years-old. His stats for his career prove he will definitely be in the football Hall of Fame one day, leading the pack of tight ends with a recorded 1,004 receptions for 12,151 yards with 77 touchdowns over 12 seasons playing in 175 career regular-season games, <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/travis-kelce-will-return-to-chiefs-in-2025">NBCSports</a> noted.
The Chiefs tight end&#8217;s postseason record is just as impressive with 20 touchdowns in 25 games and 178 career receptions for 2,078 yards.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tough-reality-travis-kelce-reflects-on-nfl-future-following-devastating-super-bowl-loss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Tough Reality’: Travis Kelce Reflects On NFL Future Following Devastating Super Bowl Loss</a>

Travis Kelce Makes Decision About NFL Retirement

Pat McAfee

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs star kicker Harrison Butker met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday.
White House staffers shared pics on social media showing the president talking to a dapper football player. Aide Margo Martin captioned her post, “The GOAT of kicking<a href="https://x.com/buttkicker7"> @buttkicker7</a> meets the GOAT of Presidents<a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump"> @realDonaldTrump</a>.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also posted pictures of the Super Bowl-winning kicker posing in the Press Briefing Room, writing on X, “You never know who you’re going to see at the White House! Great meeting Harrison Butker<a href="https://x.com/buttkicker7"> @buttkicker7</a> today!”
One political reporter shared a behind-the-scenes photo of Butker’s visit on social media and wrote: “White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker quickly entered the press briefing room for a photograph behind the lectern. ‘You never know what you&#8217;ll see in the White House,’ Leavitt told the small crew of reporters. ‘This is where the magic happens.’”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The GOAT of kicking <a href="https://twitter.com/buttkicker7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@buttkicker7</a> meets the GOAT of Presidents <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/1F5qMlSIhv">pic.twitter.com/1F5qMlSIhv</a>
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1895134973398487357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
It is unclear at this time what the two men discussed. Ahead of the election, Butker called on Christians to &#8220;head to the polls&#8221; to vote for Trump “to keep God in America.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You never know who you’re going to see at the White House! Great meeting Harrison Butker <a href="https://twitter.com/buttkicker7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@buttkicker7</a> today! 🏈🐐 <a href="https://t.co/pov8iYvGFL">pic.twitter.com/pov8iYvGFL</a>
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1895161582650310764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
Butker dropped an ad called &#8220;Protect Your Faith. Vote Trump&#8221; from his Upright <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article293946799.html">political action committee</a> that warned that “faith is under attack” from “Kamala Harris and the radical Democrats.” 
He has said the pro-life movement &#8220;is the most crucial topic for me.&#8221;
Butker made headlines last year after he gave a commencement address at <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colleges">Benedictine College</a>, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/catholic">Catholic</a> university in Kansas, in which he praised his wife for being a “homemaker,” called out President Joe Biden’s support for abortion, and criticized Pride Month.

Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Meets With Trump

Faith

Politics

President Donald Trump said the Philadelphia Eagles “deserve” to come to the White House and announced that an invite would be extended to the Super Bowl-winning team.
Speaking to members of the press from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump was asked whether the Eagles would be extended an invitation to come to the White House and celebrate their victory against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
“They will be, we haven’t yet, but we will be,” <a href="https://x.com/PHLEaglesNation/status/1894504092040306744">Trump said</a>. “I thought it was a great performance by them. Absolutely, they’ll be extended that invitation.”
The president then called on one of the members of his team to “do that right away.”
“We’re going to do it sometime today,” Trump said. “And they deserve to be down here. And we hope to see them.”
On Monday, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter went viral when he shut down rumors and reports floating around on social media all weekend claiming the Eagles had declined an invite to attend a ceremony at the White House from Trump.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump says he will officially be inviting the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eagles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eagles</a> to the White House today. “I thought it was a great performance.. They will absolutely be invited. They deserve to be down here, and we hope to see them.” <a href="https://t.co/2k8OlPFV32">pic.twitter.com/2k8OlPFV32</a>
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/PHLEaglesNation/status/1894504092040306744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
“To those wondering: Eagles sources say the team is planning on visiting the White House this off-season and looks forward to receiving its invitation,” Schefter posted on <a href="https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1894156616246645034">X</a>, making it clear an invitation hadn’t even gone out yet.
The first report surfaced about the rumor with a headline in the <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/sport/13471064/philadelphia-eagles-white-house-super-bowl-trump-snub/?utm_source=native_share&amp;utm_medium=sharebar_native&amp;utm_campaign=sharebaramp">Sun</a> that read, “SUPER SNUB Philadelphia Eagles make major decision over White House invitation post Super Bowl win following past Donald Trump snub.”
The article was then shared by the account called <a href="https://x.com/PHLEaglesNation/status/1893805067460894870">Philadelphia Eagles Nation</a> with a post that read, “According to ‘a well-placed insider,’ discussions between #Eagles players and their front office resulted in a ‘massive no’ when asked if they would accept an invitation to the White House to honor their Super Bowl Victory, per @TheSun.”
The account later shared that the Sun report was “untrue,” according to Schefter, and shared another post from NFL insider Ian Rapoport that <a href="https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1894166330326020377">said</a>, “The #Eagles would be honored to visit The White House, team sources say after conversations today. It’s one of the aspects of winning they are excited about and look forward to receiving the invitation.”
That same Eagles account on X later shared another post from Dave Zangaro of NBCSPhilly that <a href="https://x.com/DZangaroNBCS/status/1894161483413483602">read</a>, “The Eagles are planning to visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl LIX victory this offseason if invited, a source confirms. The Eagles did not visit after winning Super Bowl LII; that invitation was technically rescinded the night before.”
In 2018, the Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII and did not make the trip to the White House due to Trump’s stance that players should stand for the national anthem.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfl-insider-says-eagles-looking-forward-to-white-house-visit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL Insider Says Eagles Looking Forward To White House Visit</a>

‘They Deserve To Be Down Here’: Trump Announces White House Invite To Eagles

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