How Travis Kelce's Ex Kayla Nicole Tunes Out the "Noise"
Kayla Nicole doesn’t think Travis Kelce will fumble under pressure.
Ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC Championship matchup against the Buffalo Bills Jan. 26, the model discussed both team’s techniques and revealed why she thinks the Chiefs may be on their way to a third consecutive Super Bowl game.
“They have guys that can throw the ball to who aren’t going to drop the ball in the end zone,” Kayla said in the Jan. 20 episode of her I Am Athlete podcast before specifically shouting out her ex. “Travis Kelce, that’s a tight end that’s not gonna [drop the ball].”
She also complimented quarterback Patrick Mahomes, calling him a “seasoned vet.”
“There’s no panic, no sudden decisions–this is a well thought out offense,” the 33-year-old explained. “He studies the game like no one else.”
Kayla, who regularly attended the Chiefs games during her five-year romance with Kelce, then said that Arrowhead Stadium, where the upcoming game will be played, is the “loudest” venue in the league.
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While she believes the Chiefs will match the crowd’s spirit, she’d rather see Josh Allen and the Bills take home the crown this time–even if she’s not entirely confident it’ll happen.
She said, “[The Chiefs] got the threats. So, as much as I’d love to see somebody else in the Super Bowl, just to see something new, it’s not gonna happen.”
Kayla’s praises come weeks after she spoke about the “social media battlefield” she’s faced since Kelce began dating Taylor Swift in July 2023.
“It’s pretty constant and exhausting,” she admitted during a recent episode of Fox’s Special Forces: The World’s Toughest Test. “I could post about the sky being blue and people will have a response about an ex and their new situation. It’s inadvertently affected me to the point where it makes me question my overall value as a person.”
Despite the online vitriol she’s faced, Kayla doesn’t feel any bad blood towards Swift. “I really like, like, her,” she emphasized. “I think she’s very talented.”
Keep reading for a look back at Taylor and Travis’ headline making romance.
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July 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."
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Summer 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."
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August 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 Images
September 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."
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September 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."
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October 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.
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October 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.
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October 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.
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November 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.
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December 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."
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December 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.
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January 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.
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January 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."
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February 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.
TikTok
February 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 Swift
June 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.
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June 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."
September 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 Shutterstock
September 2024: Wedding Date
The two attended model Karen Elson's wedding to Electric Lady Studios owner Lee Foster in New York City.
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September 2024: U.S. Open Date
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October 2024: Double Date
The two stepped out for a double dinner date with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in NYC.
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December 2024
The pair stepped out for two back-to-back dates in New York City over the last weekend of 2024, matching outfits both times.
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