Heidi Gardner Calls Donna Kelce Her 'Bonus Mom' as She Reveals Her First Date Was at a Chiefs Game (Exclusive)

Heidi Gardner is a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan.

Gardner, 41, is a native of the Missouri town that has dominated the NFL in recent years behind the success of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid, and she tells PEOPLE that connecting with Kelce, 34, and his family was a full-circle moment for her .

“I spend my summers in Kansas City. All my friends and my family are still here,” Gardner says at the Chiefs’ largest tailgate in the world at Arrowhead Stadium — the same location where Saturday night live star went on her first date in high school.

“My mom got the tickets through her client,” the comedian explains, adding that her parents have been “huge” Chiefs fans her whole life.

“I brought my boyfriend from seventh grade…my first date was at Arrowhead,” says Gardner — wearing a beaded friendship bracelet that says “SNL” and “Sunday Night Football.”

Gardner first met Kelce when the Chiefs hosted the tight end SNL in February 2023. “My brothers actually came out to the show and we were in my dressing room before that and Travis and Jason Kelce came over and had barbecue too,” Gardner says, calling the experience “really cool.”

Travis Kelce and Heidi Gardner.

Rosalind OConnor/NBC via Getty

Heidi Gardner explains why she was ‘very protective’ of Travis Kelce when he hosted SNL

The Chiefs hosted their World’s Largest Tailgate: Tailgate Games kick-off party on Thursday, Sept. 5, before their win over the Baltimore Ravens, and Gardner was able to reunite with Travis and Jason’s mom, Donna Kelce, at the stadium.

“I made her my extra mom today,” Gardner jokes just after taping a segment for the livestream event where she and Donna made friendship bracelets together — a nod to Travis’ girlfriend Taylor Swift.

Donna Kelce and Heidi Gardner at the Chiefs Tailgate.

Kansas City Chiefs

Gardner is a fan of Kelce and Swift, 34, together, and thinks it’s good for the Chiefs and great for football that the team’s fan base has welcomed the newfound attention since the singer started attending games.

“As a selfish Chiefs fan, I think just more support and positive energy that we can put around the team and lift them up can only do good things,” she says of the fanfare surrounding the team amid Swift’s presence at games. “I think it’s really cool.”

Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end #87 Travis Kelce.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty

Donna Kelce makes friendship bracelets while supporting Travis at the World’s Greatest Fair ahead of the Chiefs Game

And now that some of Gardner’s friends have begun to immerse themselves in the world of football — several of whom have been inspired by Swift’s presence — she’s excited to share her love of the NFL with them. “Now I have a lot of friends who don’t watch it but want to get into it, and I’m lucky that I’ve known the game since I was a kid because you have to learn how it works,” she said. speak to PEOPLE.

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“And I said, ‘I’ll give you lessons.’ Men, women, whoever, I’ll give you football lessons – watching football lessons, not playing,” he adds with a laugh.

However, unlike many football fans, Gardner isn’t a fan of trash-talking her bosses.

“I don’t want to say anything, so I never get cocky,” Gardner says. “So every time someone says, ‘Are you going to tear this team apart?’ I say, ‘I just send love to my team and hope for the best’.”

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Source: HIS Education