It is 2026. The world has basically moved on to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement news, but if you spend even five minutes on social media, one name still manages to pop up in every single comment section: Kayla Nicole.
She’s the Travis Kelce ex-girlfriend who everyone—and I mean everyone—refuses to stop talking about.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild. We’re years removed from their final 2022 breakup, yet Kayla is still out here navigating the shadow of a five-year relationship that played out in the front row of Arrowhead Stadium long before the Eras Tour was even a thing. People think they know what happened. They think it was about money, or cheating, or some big dramatic blowout.
The reality? It’s way more complicated than a tabloid headline.
The Kayla Nicole Era: Five Years of On-and-Off
Before the friendship bracelets and the global stadium tours, there was just a star tight end and a girl from LA who slid into his DMs. Well, technically, Travis did the "double tap" Instagram flirt until she finally messaged him. That was 2017.
They weren't just a casual fling.
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Kayla Nicole and Travis Kelce were "it" for the Chiefs Kingdom for nearly half a decade. She was at every game. She was best friends with Brittany Mahomes. They were the NFL’s golden couple. But beneath the red carpet appearances at the NFL Honors, things were... rocky. They broke up in 2020. Then they got back together. Then they split for good in May 2022.
There was this persistent, nasty rumor that Travis was "cheap." People actually claimed he made her pay half for everything despite his massive contract. Travis eventually had to go on The Pivot podcast just to clear his name, calling the rumors "absurd." He basically said they were in a real relationship for five years—they shared money like any other couple. A hundred bucks here or there didn't matter.
But the damage was done. The "cheap" narrative stuck, even if it was totally fake.
That One Reality Show Everyone Forgets
If you really want to understand the Travis Kelce ex-girlfriend lore, you have to go back to 2016. Before Kayla.
Do you remember Catching Kelce? It was this E! Network reality show where 50 women—one from every state—competed to date him. It was peak 2010s reality TV trash, and Travis has since admitted he mostly did it for the paycheck because he was "broke" early in his career.
He ended up picking Maya Benberry.
It lasted about eight months. Maybe less. Maya hasn't exactly been quiet since then, either. When Travis started dating Taylor, Maya was right there in the headlines, giving "warnings" and calling him a narcissist. It felt like a lot of bitterness for a relationship that ended nearly a decade ago, but that’s the Kelce effect. Once you’re linked to him, the internet doesn't let you go.
Life After Travis: Kayla's 2026 Reality
So, where is Kayla Nicole now?
As of January 2026, she is thriving, but she’s also tired. She recently showed up on the Unapologetically Angel podcast with Angel Reese and got incredibly real about the mental toll of being "the ex."
"You could go to my most recent post and it’ll be people debating why I’m worthless... one day they’re going to have to stop calling me somebody’s ex."
She’s not just sitting around, though. Kayla has turned into a legitimate fitness and wellness mogul. Her brand, Tribe Therepē, is huge now. She’s focused on "feel-good fitness," which mixes therapy techniques with physical workouts. It’s a smart pivot. She also just won Season 3 of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test in February 2025.
She proved she’s literally one of the toughest people on TV, yet people still comment about her old relationship.
What Most People Get Wrong
People love to pit Kayla against Taylor Swift. It’s the classic "internet hobby."
But if you actually listen to what Kayla says, there’s no beef. In 2025, she actually called Taylor "very talented" and said she "really liked" her. The drama is almost entirely manufactured by fans who want a "WAG war" that doesn't exist.
Sure, there was that awkward moment at New York Fashion Week recently where she dodged an engagement question. But honestly? Who wants to talk about their ex getting engaged while they're trying to promote their own career?
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The Zuri Hall Rumors
There was a brief window in late 2022 and early 2023 where everyone thought Travis was dating Zuri Hall.
She’s a correspondent for Access Hollywood. She was spotted at games, hanging out in the suites. Fans noticed they followed each other; they noticed the "likes." It was never officially confirmed, and by the time July 2023 rolled around and Travis mentioned the friendship bracelet on his podcast, the Zuri rumors evaporated.
She was the bridge between the Kayla era and the Taylor era. A footnote that the "Swifties" barely remember.
Why the Internet Can't Let Go
The obsession with the Travis Kelce ex-girlfriend narrative comes down to one thing: contrast.
Kayla was the "cool, sports-journalist, fitness-model" girlfriend who fit perfectly into the existing NFL culture. Taylor is a global supernova who changed the entire economy of the sport. Because the transition happened so fast—and because Kayla and Travis were together for so long—fans feel like they have to "pick a side."
It’s exhausting for everyone involved.
Kayla has been open about how the online hate made her question her value as a Black woman. She’s talked about how people try to tie her worth to her net worth or her relationship status.
Navigating the "Ex" Narrative in 2026
If you’re following this saga, here is the actual takeaway:
- Kayla Nicole is a winner. Literally. She won Special Forces and has a successful podcast, The Pre-Game.
- The "Cheap" rumors were fake. Both parties have denied that money was the reason for the split.
- There is no secret feud. Kayla has praised Taylor's talent multiple times, even if the timing of certain social media posts (like her "Choose Joy" message) gets over-analyzed.
- Travis has moved on. Between the Super Bowl rings and the engagement, he’s in a completely different chapter of life.
The best thing anyone can do is stop treating these women like characters in a scripted drama. Kayla Nicole is a journalist, an athlete, and a business owner who spent five years with a guy. That's it.
If you want to support her, check out her fitness programs or listen to her podcast. Moving on is a two-way street, and the internet is the only one still stuck at the red light.
Actionable Insights for Following Celeb News:
- Verify the Source: Much of the Kayla/Travis drama comes from TikTok "body language experts" rather than actual quotes.
- Respect the Pivot: Look at what these women are building outside of their famous exes.
- Mute the Noise: If a comment section feels toxic, it usually is. Stick to primary interviews (like People or The Pivot) for the actual facts.