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.

Heidi Gardner is a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan

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

“I spend my summers in Kansas City. All of my friends and my family are still here,” says Gardner at the Chiefs’ World’s Largest Tailgate at Arrowhead Stadium — the same location where the Saturday Night Live star went on her very first date in middle school.

“My mom had gotten tickets through a client of hers,” the comedian explains, adding parents have been “big time” Chiefs fans for her entire life.

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

Gardner first got to know Kelce when the Chiefs tight end hosted SNL in February 2023. “My brothers actually came out for the show and we tailgated in my dressing room before, and Travis and Jason Kelce came and ate barbecue too,” says Gardner, calling the experience “really cool.”

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

“Today, I claimed her as my bonus mom,” Gardner jokes just after filming a segment for the event’s livestream where she and Donna made friendship bracelets together — a nod to Travis’ girlfriend Taylor Swift.