Over a year after Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift debuted their romance, the Chiefs player’s ex Kayla Nicole broke down in tears while sharing insight into their breakup.
Kayla Nicole is still working through her breakup with Travis Kelce.
Over a year after the Kansas City Chiefs player and Taylor Swift brought their romance into the public eye, the model shared how she is still reeling from her and Travis’ 2022 breakup.
“Going through a public breakup,” Kayla detailed in a preview for Special Forces released Nov. 27, as tears streamed down her face, “It’s been overwhelming.”
Later, a fellow contestant Alana Blanchard asks her who her ex is, and Kayla whispers, “Travis Kelce.”
This is not the first time that Kayla has expressed how difficult it has been to see her ex moving on with the “Karma” singer, given the fierce dedication of her fanbase.
“I would be lying if I said that that level of hate and just online chaos doesn’t impact me,” Kayla admitted on an October episode of the Unapologetically Angel podcast. “You could go to my most recent post and it’ll be people debating why I’m worthless and how I’ll never be a talented person.”
But despite feeling overwhelmed by the hateful comments at times, Kayla understands that the online criticism has nothing to do with her as a person.
“I think there’s something about that level of fame that attracts crazy people,” Kayla posited of her ex’s sharp rise to stardom. “And it’s unfortunate because I’ve never done anything to warrant that kind of backlash.”
Kayla has had to bore the brunt of Travis’ catapult into the spotlight amid his romance with Taylor—going so far as to unfollow his teammate Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes to “protect” herself—but she is not the only one who has detailed its challenges.
In fact, Travis’ family including parents Donna Kelce and Ed Kelce, as well as his brother Jason Kelce and his wife Kylie Kelce, have all shared their perspective on stepping into the spotlight.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images“It’s been crazy,” Jason—who shares Wyatt, 5, Elliotte, 3, Bennett, 22 months and has a fourth baby on the way with Kylie—shared in June on theWhiskey Ginger podcast. “Travis and Taylor have taken it to another level and that’s a whole other side of it. Kylie and I think we have it bad and then we go hang out with one of them, and it’s like, ‘This is a whole other situation here.’ You can’t be a normal person at that point.”
Travis, meanwhile, maintains that he’s doing perfectly fine.
“It’s the life I chose,” he told CBS Mornings in September. “I have fun with it. It comes with the territory.”
Read on for a look at his romance with Taylor.
Fernando Leon/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementJuly 2023: So, Make the Friendship Bracelets
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s love story began in July 2023, when the singer’s Eras Tour made a stop at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
As a huge Swiftie, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end caught the show with hopes of giving Taylor a friendship bracelet with his number on it. However, he failed to complete the pass due to her pre-show rituals.
“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” Travis shared on the July 26 episode of his New Heights podcast. “So, I was a little butt-hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
JC Olivera/Getty ImagesSummer 2023: This Is Him Trying
After publicly recounting his fumble—a move Taylor would later describe as “metal as hell”—Travis decided to shoot his shot and invite the Grammy winner to watch the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court,” he shared on The Pat McAfee Show. “I told her, you know, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit.’ So, we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
Michael Owens/Getty ImagesAugust 2023: Enchanted to Meet You
Travis was rocking a mustache—which he debuted in August during training camp—when he was first introduced to Taylor.
As he later noted of the era, “That ‘stache and the 87 jersey was pretty iconic there for a little bit, and I had it when I met Taylor for the first time.”
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy / David Eulitt/Getty ImagesSeptember 2023: Sparks Fly
By early September, a source close to the situation told E! News that Travis and Taylor were “texting and talking here and there.”
“It’s been very low-key,” the insider explained, “as he’s been in season.”
Cooper Neill/Getty ImagesSeptember 2023: Cheer Captain
Accepting Travis’ invite, Taylor joined the athlete’s mom Donna Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium to watch him and the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears. After the game, Taylor and Travis were seen packing PDA at a local bar.
Though folklore had it that it was the couple’s first in-person meeting, the “Karma” singer later clarified the two had spent a “significant amount of time” getting to know each other beforehand.
As Taylor noted, “We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”
Kevin Sabitus/Getty ImagesOctober 2023: Team Up
As an indication that the relationship was heating up, Taylor brought her squad—including friends Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sophie Turner, Hugh Jackman, Sabrina Carpenter and Antoni Porowski—to watch the Chiefs play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
David Eulitt/Getty ImagesOctober 2023: It’s Nice to Have a Friend
Another sign that Travis could be The 1? Taylor started bonding with Brittany Mahomes—the wife of Travis’ BFF and teammate Patrick Mahomes—in and outside of NFL games.
Gotham/GC ImagesOctober 2023: Welcome to New York
The couple took their romance to TV, making a surprise appearance on the Oct. 14 episode of Saturday Night Live. Their Big Apple takeover also included the after-party for the NBC sketch show and a date night at the Waverly Inn.
Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementNovember 2023: Karma Is Her Boyfriend
During a bye week, Travis traveled down to Argentina to catch the South American leg of Taylor’s Eras Tour. Not only did the NFL star bond with Taylor’s dad, Scott Swift, at the Nov. 11 show in Buenos Aires, but he also got a special shoutout from the stage.
“Karma is that guy on the Chiefs,” Taylor sang, “coming straight home to me.”
After the show, the Midnights artist was seen running up to Travis backstage and greeting him with a passionate kiss.
Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementDecember 2024: Speak Now
Taylor addressed the lavender craze surrounding her appearances at Travis’ games.
“I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she told Time. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone.”
Kathryn Riley/Getty ImagesDecember 2023: You, Who Charmed Her Dad
The music superstar turned Travis’ Dec. 17 game into a family affair, bringing her dad to cheer on her man.
Gotham/GC ImagesJanuary 2024: All the Midnights
Taylor and Travis spent their first New Year’s Eve together, sharing a romantic kiss when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1.
Kathryn Riley / Contributor (Getty Images)January 2024: Chosen Family
Continuing to bond with Travis’ family, Taylor hung out with his brother Jason Kelce and sister-in-law Kylie Kelce at the Chiefs’ game against the Buffalo Bills.
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesJanuary 2024: Saved by the Perfect Kiss
Taylor joined Travis on the football field when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship, a victory that cemented the team’s spot in the 2024 Super Bowl. The couple shared a celebratory kiss before exchanging the L-word.
“Tay, I’m gonna enjoy with the guys,” he told her. “I love you—so much it’s not funny.”
Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesFebruary 2024: Super Bowl Champs
The pair locked lips on the field after Travis led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas.
TikTokFebruary 2024: TikTok Official
Taylor posted footage of Travis on social media for the first time Feb. 12, poking fun at how she took her parents clubbing with the athlete after the Super Bowl.
Instagram / Taylor SwiftJune 2024: Instagram Official
Taylor’s first Instagram pic featuring Travis was a selfie of the two with Prince William and his and wife Kate Middleton‘s eldest kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage at the singer’s Eras tour show at Wembley Stadium in London.
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementJune 2024: Travis’ Eras Tour Stage Debut
While attending his seventh Eras tour concert, and second show at London’s Wembley Stadium, the NFL star joined his girlfriend onstage as a backup performer during her performance of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
InstagramSeptember 2024: Back in the Game
Taylor joined Travis for the Chief’s first game of the regular 2024-25 season and appeared to re-enact a PDA moment from October 2023 in this photo shared by Chariah Gordon, who is pictured with her boyfriend, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Janet Mayer / Splash by ShutterstockSeptember 2024: Wedding Date
The two attended model Karen Elson‘s wedding to Electric Lady Studios owner Lee Foster in New York City.
Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesSeptember 2024: U.S. Open Date
The next day, the pair attended the men’s singles final match at the U.S. Open.
XNY/Star Max/GC ImagesOctober 2024: Double Date
The two stepped out for a double dinner date with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in NYC.