Before the era of "New Heights" podcast dominance and the global frenzy of his engagement to Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce was one half of a very different, yet equally scrutinized, power couple. For five years, Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole were the duo everyone followed. They were glitzy. They were athletic. Honestly, they seemed like the end-game for each other.
But then, it just stopped.
People love a good mystery, and the "why" behind their 2022 split has become a weird internet obsession. Was it money? Was it a "cheap" NFL star making a millionaire influencer pay for half of a dinner? Or was it just the standard burnout of an on-again, off-again relationship that couldn't survive the transition into real adulthood?
The Instagram Meet-Cute That Started It All
You’ve probably heard the story of Travis Kelce’s 2023 pursuit of Taylor Swift—the friendship bracelet, the public shout-out, the whole "shooting his shot" thing. But long before that, he was doing the same thing on Instagram.
Back in 2017, Travis and Kayla Nicole first connected through the "double-tap." Kayla eventually admitted in a deleted IG story that Travis had been "insta-flirting" for months. He’d like her photos, but he never actually sent a DM. Eventually, she made the first move. They started dating shortly after, and for half a decade, she was a staple on the Chiefs’ sidelines.
Kayla wasn't just "the girlfriend," though. She’s a Pepperdine-educated journalist who was already building a career in sports media and modeling. They looked like a match made in brand-partnership heaven.
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That Bizarre "50/50" Financial Rumor
If you spend five minutes on social media looking up Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole, you’ll hit the "cheap" rumors.
Basically, a report from Barstool Sports in 2022 claimed the couple broke up because Travis forced Kayla to pay for exactly half of everything—dinners, trips, you name it—to prove she wasn't a "gold digger." It sounds ridiculous because, well, it probably is.
Travis actually addressed this directly on The Pivot Podcast in early 2023. He was pretty blunt about it. "Don’t buy into that s—t," he told the hosts. He clarified that Kayla had a "financially stable life" and her own career, but the idea that they were counting pennies for a hundred-dollar dinner after five years together was, in his words, crazy.
Kayla also debunked it. On the Unapologetically Angel podcast, she joked, "Do I look like anybody that would split anything?" She called the rumors absurd. It turns out, the internet just loves a narrative about a stingy athlete, even when the math doesn't add up.
Why the Breakup Actually Stuck in 2022
The truth is usually more boring than the rumors. Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole were "on-again, off-again" for a reason. They first split briefly in 2020 amid cheating rumors (which Travis denied as "fake news"), but they reconciled within months.
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By May 2022, they called it quits for the final time.
Relationships that break and mend multiple times often hit a point of "diminishing returns." You can only fix the same crack so many times before the whole vase shatters. While neither has cited one specific "scandal" for the final 2022 split, Kayla has been open about the emotional toll. She recently appeared on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and got real about the heartbreak. She mentioned how she always thought she’d have a "husband and kids" by this point in her life.
It wasn't a lack of love. It was likely just a lack of alignment on the future.
The Reality TV Past: Maya Benberry
Before Kayla, there was the Catching Kelce era. This is the part of the timeline Travis mostly tries to forget. In 2016, he starred in an E! reality dating show where he chose Maya Benberry out of 50 contestants.
That relationship lasted about as long as a commercial break—maybe a few months.
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Maya has been vocal lately, especially since Travis moved on to Taylor Swift. She’s given interviews calling him a "narcissist" and warning Taylor to be careful. It’s worth noting that Travis has since called the reality show experience "extremely awkward" and admitted he mostly did it for the paycheck during his early NFL days.
Moving Forward: Kayla Nicole in 2026
Kayla Nicole hasn't just sat around while her ex became the most famous man in the NFL. She’s been busy.
- Tribe Therepē: She rebranded her wellness brand (formerly "Strong Is Sexy") to focus on mental and physical fitness.
- The Pre-Game Podcast: Launched in 2025, her podcast is where she finally started telling her own story instead of letting headlines do it for her.
- Media Mogul Status: She’s still a major face for brands like Revolve and Savage X Fenty.
She’s also had to navigate the "Swiftie" phenomenon. When Travis and Taylor went public, Kayla’s social media became a battleground. She eventually had to unfollow Brittany and Patrick Mahomes—not because of "beef," but as a matter of self-preservation. You can't heal if you're constantly seeing your old life on your feed.
The Actionable Takeaway
When looking back at the history of Travis Kelce and his exes, the lesson isn't about "who cheated" or "who was cheap." It’s about the reality of public breakups.
If you're following the drama to understand the man Travis is today, look at the growth. He went from a reality TV stunt to a five-year serious partnership, to now being engaged to one of the most powerful women in the world.
For Kayla Nicole, the path has been about reclaiming her name. She’s been very clear: "One day they're going to have to stop calling me someone's ex." In 2026, with a thriving brand and a successful podcast, she's well on her way to making that a reality.
If you want to support her journey, checking out Tribe Therepē for wellness tips or tuning into The Pre-Game is a much better use of time than digging through old 2022 tweets.