Heidi Gardner doesn't want to take all the credit for why Travis Kelce hosted Saturday Night Live. A Kansas City girl by birth and an SNL cast member, she grew up a Chiefs fan and knew that the hometown hero was more than capable of handling a live show at the iconic Studio 8H at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.

“I don't want to take on all the responsibility from the show or the talent department,” she explained on a recent appearance on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast. 'But I'm a big fan of the Chiefs, and I've seen him do other little acts and appearances. He and I had even presented something together at ESPY. So she knew up close and personal his own talent as a comedian.

All her persuasion and pleas for consideration were “pre-Taylor” (meaning his current girlfriend, Taylor Swift). She was always the Chiefs Girls, and she just tried to give people what she knew they wanted.

Lorne Michaels, once a showrunner and creator of the series, came up with a condition that would see Kels host the show. Lorne was like, “Well, he has to win the Super Bowl.” Lorne was like, “He has to win the Super Bowl.” [and he did win the Super Bowl,” she added.

Kelce hosted a late-night comedy sketch series that aired on March 4, 2023, to great acclaim. Perhaps it was his charming appearance on the series, as in the sketch above, that made T. Swift see him in a different light (they officially began dating in September of that year).

Either way, we say, “Thanks, Heidi!” I would like to say. And because we don't think Kels would have made it if you hadn't supported him.