Colin Kaepernick Reveals His Mum Wanted Him To Date Taylor Swift Long Before Travis Kelce

Colin Kaepernick has revealed that his mother once encouraged him to ask Taylor Swift out while he was in the NFL, years before the singer began dating Travis Kelce. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback shared the unexpected detail in his new memoir, The Perilous Fight, while reflecting on his relationship with his adoptive parents and his identity.

Kaepernick wrote that his mother, Teresa Kaepernick, believed he and Swift would be 'perfect together.' He also specifically noted that her suggestion came 'long before Travis Kelce made his move,' linking the anecdote to the NFL star who would later become Swift's partner.

Mum Wanted Him To Ask Taylor Swift Out

Kaepernick recalled the conversation in The Perilous Fight, which was published on 15 September 2026.

'When I was in the NFL, she told me that I should ask out Taylor Swift (long before Travis Kelce made his move) because we would be perfect together,' Kaepernick wrote, according to reports quoting the memoir.

Kaepernick played for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2016, establishing that his mother's suggestion came during his professional football career. The memoir does not give a more precise date for the conversation.

The revelation appears in a broader passage about Kaepernick's experiences growing up with his white adoptive parents and his belief that his mother did not fully understand his identity.

Why Kaepernick Did Not Pursue Taylor Swift

Kaepernick made clear that he did not follow his mother's advice.

The former NFL quarterback wrote: 'No slight to Taylor, but she was not my type.'

The comment explains why he did not pursue the singer and was framed as his personal response to his mother's suggestion rather than criticism of Swift.

The memoir places the exchange within Kaepernick's recollections of his teenage relationships. He writes about a Black classmate named Crystal, whose photograph he says his mother kept out of sight, while a photograph of him with a white classmate named Lindsay was displayed.

What Happened Before Taylor Swift Met Travis Kelce

Kaepernick's account comes from his time in the NFL, years before Swift and Kelce began dating in 2023.

Swift and Kelce's relationship began after the Kansas City Chiefs tight end publicly revealed that he had tried to meet the singer. Their relationship subsequently became highly public, with the couple marrying in July 2026, according to current reports.

That chronology is also reflected in Kaepernick's own wording. He specifically described his mother's suggestion as coming 'long before Travis Kelce made his move,' making Kelce part of the anecdote rather than simply a later comparison added by outside reporting.

Why Kaepernick Included the Story in His Memoir

The Taylor Swift anecdote is tied to Kaepernick's wider discussion of his upbringing and relationship with his adoptive parents.

His memories of Crystal and Lindsay precede the passage about Swift and illustrate his feelings that his mother did not fully recognise aspects of his identity. The Swift suggestion therefore appears within a larger personal account of his family and childhood rather than as a standalone celebrity dating story.

What To Know About 'The Perilous Fight'

The Perilous Fight was published by Legacy Lit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, on 15 September 2026. The memoir covers Kaepernick's childhood, NFL career and the experiences surrounding his 2016 national anthem protest.