Last Updated on September 4, 2024
Image source: people.com
In September 2023, during an episode of the ‘New Heights’ podcast, Travis Kelce caused a stir on the internet when he hinted at rejoining Tinder. He went as far as to consult his sister-in-law, Kylie, on the most appropriate profile picture.
While these statements were seemingly made in jest, they brought Kelce’s relationship status into sharp scrutiny. The remarks were the clearest indication ever that the football tight end had irreconcilably separated with his immediate former girlfriend.
But who is Travis Kelce’s ex-partner and why did the pair split up? Read on for the answer to that question.
Who Is Travis Kelce?
Travis Michael Kelce is an American football tight end who currently plays for the National Football League (NFL)’s club, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Travis Kelce began his amateur football career while attending Cleveland Heights High School. He also played basketball and baseball during this period.
After high school, Kelce went on to play football collegiately for the University of Cincinnati. He eventually turned professional at the 2013 NFL Draft, where the Chiefs selected him as the 63rd overall pick in the third round.
Outside of the pitch, Travis Kelce has made numerous scripted and reality television appearances. He also co-hosts the podcast ‘New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,’ alongside his brother Jason.
Who Is Travis Kelce’s Ex-girlfriend?
Travis Kelce’s immediate former girlfriend is Kayla Nicole, an on-air sports journalist and model.
Nicole and Kelce dated for about five years, during which their relationship underwent its own ups and downs.
Kayla Nicole’s Early Life and Education Background
Kayla Nicole was born on November 2, 1991, in Los Angeles, California, to Roosevelt Brown and Robin Curry. She was previously known as Kayla Brown but later changed her surname to Nicole for unclear reasons.
Kayla’s parents divorced when she was still a child and her mother later remarried. However, she has maintained a close relationship with both her parents.
Nicole has one blood sibling whose identity is unknown. She also has three half-siblings, namely Ayva Curry, Layla-Simone Curry, and Hayda Curry.
As for her education, Kayla Nicole attended local elementary and high schools. She later enrolled for a bachelor’s degree program in broadcast journalism at Pepperdine University, eventually graduating in 2013.
Kayla Nicole’s Career Information
Kayla Nicole took an interest in sports right from her childhood. That explains why she pursued a college program in the field.
Nicole began her career in sports journalism soon after graduating from Pepperdine University. She accepted several hosting gigs at various sports media outlets, such as Barstool Sports and ESPN. Her reporting extensively covered the NFL and National Basketball Association (NBA).
The sports journalist first shared her passion in a 2018 post on her Instagram account. She posted a video of herself reporting from outside Los Angeles-based the Staples Center while donning a Lakers’ jersey and captioned it with “Hosting is where my heart is.”
Nicole has also covered several entertainment segments during her journalism career. She has interviewed a number of renowned celebrities, including Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, and Sterling K. Brown.
Outside of journalism, Kayla Nicole has established herself as a model and influencer. Nicole has modeled for several renowned fashion brands, such as Crocs, Savage X Fenty, and Revolve.
Kayla also runs her own fitness brand known as Strong Is Sexy. Her Instagram account is awash with posts of her various fitness sessions.
When Did Kayla Nicole And Travis Kelce Meet?
Kayla Nicole and Travis Kelce began dating in 2017. Nicole later revealed in a since-deleted Instagram Story by TMZ that the couple connected through the social networking platform.
Apparently, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end followed her on Instagram and flirted with her for several months. She eventually gave in to his advances and decided to go on a date with him.
How Was Kayla Nicole and Travis Kelce’s Relationship Like?
Nicole and Kelce’s relationship was far from perfect. The couple separated and reconciled several times over the following years. Their first break-up was in August 2020 amid allegations that Kelce cheated on her with a woman named Becky.
Alarm bells began ringing when Nicole deleted pictures of her and the Chiefs tight end from her Instagram account. Kelce confirmed the reports of their breakup a week later but denied cheating allegations in a since-deleted tweet.
Kayla and Travis reconciled and got back together in November that year. The footballer confirmed the reconciliation by referring to Nicole as “my girlfriend” during an Instagram Live with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Chiney Ogwumike. He went on to describe her as “the absolute best.”
Nicole and Kelce’s next publicized break-up was in May 2022. The reason for their separation, according to Barstool Sports, was that the NFL star forced her girlfriend to meet half of all expenditures while they were dating. However, Kelce denied these allegations in a January 2023 interview with The Pivot Podcast.
The couple reunited again and lived together for the next couple of months before splitting up in October 2023.
Break-up rumors began to swirl after Nicole’s fans noted she had unfollowed her boyfriend’s teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany on Instagram. This was after Brittany Mahomes went on dinner at New York City with Kelce’s rumored new girlfriend and Brittany’s best friend, singer Taylor Swift. Swift had also begun attending many of Kelce’s games in the weeks following the break-up rumors, fueling the animosity between Kayla and Brittany.
Kayla remains separated from Kelce as of the time of writing. Besides, the football tight end is yet to confirm or deny rumors of dumping Kelce for Swift.
How Is the Estranged Couple Coping with Break-up?
Kayla Nicole appears to have settled with the fact that the relationship is irreparably broken. She no longer attends Kelce’s NFL games. Instead, she focuses her attention on her modeling and journalism career. She also uses her Instagram account to promote positivity.
On the other hand, Travis Kelce seems to have moved on already. That’s if the rumors of him dating Taylor Swift are anything to go by.