Taylor Swift‘s close family are understood to be ‘relieved’ that she is dating Travis Kelce – because they are confident that the 6’5 NFL star can ‘keep her safe’ in the wake of her father’s altercation with a photographer in Sydney.

At 250lbs, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis could almost be mistaken for Taylor’s security personnel, and her family are said to be delighted that he doubles up as a ‘built in bodyguard.’

‘Taylor’s family and everyone who knows her is so relieved by her relationship with Travis – not only because she is madly in love but also because he makes her security personnel job much easier,’ a source exclusively told DailyMail.com.

‘Travis is a big dude and no one would mess with him because, when it comes to Taylor, he would not play if someone tried to come near her. She has a built-in bodyguard at all times.’

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Taylor Swift’s family members are delighted that the singer is dating Travis Kelce, because they believe the 6’5 NFL star can protect her

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis could almost be mistaken for the hitmaker’s security personnel when they pair step out in public together

Travis stands at an impressive 6’5 and weighs 250lbs – making him the ideal defender for the popstar

They continued: ‘Travis has vowed to keep her safe and there is no doubt about this.

‘No one will try to come close to her when she is holding hands with her powerhouse boyfriend.’

The Super Bowl champion has talked previously on his New Heights podcast about his desire to look after his girlfriend, both 34, who he first started dating last summer.

Discussing whether he felt like ‘a security guard’ when they’re out and about in New York City, he told his cohost, and brother, Jason Kelce : ‘I feel like whenever I’m on a date, I’m always having the sense that I’m a man in the situation.

‘I’m protective, yeah, for sure. You always have to have that feeling or self-awareness, I guess.’

The NFL star has frequently been captured on camera subtly moving Taylor’s security team out of the way so he can safely shepherd the singer from one location to another.

The gestures have not gone unnoticed by her fans who have commented on Travis’ protective nature.

‘Travis is literally such a gentleman like the amount of times he touched her to make sure she was safe, and he let the bodyguard know he wanted to get his woman out of the car… Taylor Swift you deserve this,’ wrote one fan on X.

Indeed, the Super Bowl champion, 34, has also expressed his desire to protect his partner in his comments since the relationship went public last year – pictured together in New York

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A source said: ‘Travis is a big dude and no one would mess with him because, when it comes to Taylor, he would not play if someone tried to come near her. She has a built in bodyguard at all times’

Another joked: ‘The thing with Travis acting as Taylor’s personal bodyguard as well as her boyfriend is that I would be way more scared of him tackling me than any random bodyguard…’

Travis was said to be upset following a recent incident involving her father Scott Swift and an Australian photographer he was accused of  assaulting over his alleged ‘threatening’ behavior.

Scott, 71, was accused of striking Ben McDonald, 51, at a ferry wharf in the suburb of Neutral Bay at about 2.30am on Tuesday, after Taylor wrapped the Australian leg of her Eras tour.

Taylor’s team said the photographer ‘threatened to throw a female staff member into the water’.

Footage from the moments before the alleged altercation showed Scott walking up wharf while giving photographers the middle finger.

‘Travis wishes he had been with Taylor when her dad got into it with the photographer as he wants to protect her at all costs,’ a separate source told DailyMail.com.

‘He can’t wait for her to be back in the States so they can be together – and if anyone tries anything, he knows that photographers, or anyone else for that matter, wouldn’t dare come close to them if he was around as he is a very massive and intimidating guy.’

A spokeswoman for Taylor Swift told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water.’

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The athlete has been seen keeping Taylor away from zealous fans as the source added: ‘No one will try to come close to her when she is holding hands with her powerhouse boyfriend’

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Taylor’s family are said to be ‘relieved’ to see her with someone that can ‘keep her safe’

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Her departure comes just hours after her father Scott (center right), 71, was accused of striking photographer Ben McDonald, 51, in Australia at about 2.30am on Tuesday

However, Mr McDonald – the chief executive of Matrix Media Group – slammed the statement as ‘utter rubbish’ and said the only female at the scene was Taylor.

‘This is the sort of bulls**t I might expect,’ he said. ‘Which female was that? The only one there was Taylor.’

Mr McDonald said the altercation was caught on camera and did not show the photographers acting aggressively.

An investigation into the alleged incident has been launched by the North Shore Police Command.

Scott has been a fixture by his daughter’s side throughout her sold-out Eras tour.

He has been praised for handing out sandwiches in the middle of a Sydney show, telling fans to ‘help yourselves.’

He also handed out VIP passes so excited fans would have access to better seats.