Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift got to enjoy a little quality time together in New York City, but Kelce couldn’t stay for tonight’s MTV VMAs.

Page Six reported on Wednesday morning that Kelce had to return to work. “[Travis] had to be back in Kansas City by Tuesday for practice,” a source explained.

The Kansas City Chiefs player just began his NFL season and is set to play his next game on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City,

Missouri, against the Cincinnati Bengals. Swift attended his first winning game against the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday.

Kelce spoke on today’s episode of New Heights about his well wishes for Swift at tonight’s show. “Hopefully Taylor can walk away with a few [new VMA awards],” he said. “She’s nominated for about 10 of those things tonight. Hopefully she can walk away with some moon men. Those are always one of the cooler trophies.” (Swift is actually nominated for 12 awards this year if you include the social categories.)
Kelce has never been able to join Swift at an awards show. He spoke about not being able to attend this year’s Grammys to cheer her on, because the Chiefs were practicing for the Super Bowl.

“I wish I could go support Taylor at the Grammys and watch her win every single award that she’s nominated for,” he said on The Pat McAfee Show in late January. “But I think I got practice on Sunday. I know I got practice Saturday, but Sunday is a travel day. Unfortunately I’ve got to get ready for this big ol’ Super Bowl that we’ve got in a week.”

He added in that same interview that he hopes people are supportive of them as a couple. Their love story is a “a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” he said. “And then hopefully everyone realizes that we’re just two people in a relationship supporting each other and having fun with it, man. It’s nothing more than that as much as the world wants to paint the picture and make us the enemy, we just have fun with it. We enjoy every single bit of it. And sure enough, I love it when Taylor comes to support me and enjoys the game with the fam and friends. It’s been nothing than just a wonderful year, man.”