Global music superstar Taylor Swift stunned fans with a surprise performance at the Tight End University (TEU) concert, “Tight Ends & Friends,” recently. The singer performed her 2014 hit “Shake It Off” before a sold-out crowd at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.
It wasn’t just the fans who bought tickets who were wowed by the performance. TEU co-founder George Kittle was also impressed by Swift, both on and off the stage.
49ers Star George Kittle Left Impressed After Taylor Swift Stuns Fans at “Tight Ends & Friends” Concert
Tight End University is celebrating its fifth year in 2025, and a host of big names are attending the event. Founders Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen are, of course, in attendance, along with NFL stars like Trey McBride and Brock Bowers. The event continues to grow each year, giving young tight ends a chance to learn, share knowledge and bond.
Another key goal of the event is raising money for charity, and the concert likely played a big role in that. Hosted by “Bussin’ With the Boys” duo Taylor Lewan and Will Compton, the show featured performances from several artists, including Jordan Davis and Chase Rice.
Swift closed the night by joining country star Kane Brown on stage at the end of his set for a rendition of her 2014 hit “Shake It Off.”
🚨| Full video of Taylor Swift’s surprise performance of “Shake It Off” at the TEU concert tonight in Nashville!
pic.twitter.com/l72NBeGOzG
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) June 25, 2025
Speaking about Swift’s performance, Kittle was enthusiastic in his praise.
“She was fantastic… it was maybe 1,000 people; that was the loudest 1,000 people I’ve ever heard in my entire life. It was an incredible experience. I think everybody had a lot of fun watching that one.”
Kittle Suggests Swift’s Performance Was a Spontaneous Decision
Kittle was speaking the day after the concert, as attendees of the three-day event bonded over golf. The San Francisco 49ers star gave a glowing review of Swift and revealed the performance was a last-minute idea from the singer herself.
“Taylor could not have been kinder, more nice. She was like, ‘You know what, I think it might be fun to go sing Shake It Off,’ and we were like, ‘That would be amazing, twist my arm, Taylor, please.'”
📽️| George Kittle praising Taylor!
“Taylor couldn’t have been kinder, more nice […] she was fantastic! That was the loudest thousand people I’ve ever heard in my life” pic.twitter.com/R5gMSXbndk
— Taylor Swift Updates 🩶 (@swifferupdates) June 25, 2025
Swift has had plenty of reasons to celebrate recently after reclaiming ownership of her life’s work, including her first six albums, artwork, photography and unreleased songs. The extensive catalog had changed hands twice since 2019 in nine-figure deals, without her prior knowledge. Her performance at “Tight Ends & Friends” was brief but brought a lot of attention to the event, further showcasing the influence she has.