Travis Kelce’s inner circle might not be as famous as girlfriend Taylor Swift’s crew, but they are just as important to the pair’s relationship. Case and point: Kelce’s best friend Aric Jones, who has been spotted at Kansas City Chiefs games with Swift.
Jones made headlines on Sunday, December 10, after he was seen hugging Swift, 33, in the Chiefs’ suite during the team’s matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs lost, but Jones and Swift looked happy in the box, according to a fan video, before the Grammy winner met up with Kelce, 34, for a festive night out with friends.
While Swift has become a staple at Arrowhead Stadium since sparking a romance with Kelce over the summer, Jones has been part of the NFL player’s squad for decades.
Jones and Kelce were childhood friends before they became roommates in their 20s. “I was just like, ‘Are you sure this is cool? I don’t want to be a burden on you,’” Jones recalled to Vanity Fair in July, revealing that Kelce called him in 2014 and offered him a place to live. “He just sent me a picture of a bedroom and said, ‘Here’s your room. It’s waiting for you.’”
While the friends no longer live together, Jones rarely misses a Chiefs game. Swift also seems to have Jones’ stamp of approval as they’ve been seen together at multiple NFL games since October.
Scroll down to learn more about Jones:
Aric Jones and Travis Kelce Courtesy of Travis Kelce/Instagram
1. How Long Has Aric Jones Been Friends With Travis Kelce?
The twosome became friends as young kids in Ohio. “I’ve known both of them since I was five, six years old,” Kelce told Vanity Fair in July of now-personal chef Kumar Ferguson and Jones. “It’s really easy to be yourself when you’ve got the people you grew up with around all the time.”
Jones, meanwhile, described Kelce as “the larger-than-life white kid that’s always hung out with the Black kids.”
2. Where Did Aric Jones Go to College?
Jones graduated from Tennessee State University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and media studies.
Aric Jones and Taylor Swift Jamie Squire/Getty Images
3. Did Aric Jones Play Football?
Like Kelce, Jones played football at Cleveland Heights High School before playing college ball. Jones was a defensive back for the Tennessee State Tigers while Kelce played at the University of Cincinnati before going pro in 2013.
4. Does Aric Jones Have a Clothing Line?
After working in sales and marketing for Technocom Business Systems, Jones went into business for himself. He founded a streetwear clothing brand called Homebred Legends in 2017 while he was living in Atlanta. In addition to designing different collections, Jones hosts events under the Homebred umbrella.
Aric Jones and Travis Kelce Courtesy of Travis Kelce/InstagramCourtesy of Travis Kelce/Instagram
5. Have Aric Jones and Travis Kelce Ever Worked Together?
Jones founded Kelce Krazies, LLC in July 2014 ahead of the tight end’s first season on the Chiefs. The brand was the official merchandise provider for Kelce for two years. While Jones ran the business, Kelce was constantly promoting it, and the designs were “influenced by his signature ‘Bow & Arrow’ celebration,” which he does in the endzone, according to Jones’ LinkedIn.
Kelce has since launched his own clothing line, Tru Story, and Jones has modeled some of the collections in support.