Kayla Nicole On ‘Struggles’ She Faced While Dating Travis Kelce

Three years after their cut up, Kayla Nicole revealed the challenges of courting an expert athlete and the way the expertise formed her.

The sports activities journalist and the Chiefs tight finish first made their romance public in 2017, simply months after Kelce ended his relationship with mannequin Maya Benberry.

Their relationship rapidly gained consideration when Nicole, after sending Kelce a direct message on Instagram, accompanied him to Jeremy Maclin’s marriage ceremony. The next 12 months, the couple continued making public appearances, strolling the purple carpet collectively on the ESPY Awards and attending the Youngsters’ Selection Sports activities Awards.

Nonetheless, their relationship was not with out its challenges. In 2020, they briefly cut up amid rumors of infidelity, which Kelce later denied. Regardless of reuniting, the couple in the end referred to as it quits for good in Might 2022, marking the top of their five-year, on-again, off-again romance.

Since their breakup, Kelce has moved on with world famous person Taylor Swift, a high-profile romance that has introduced Nicole sudden waves of on-line criticism.

In an interview with PEOPLE Magazine, Nicole opened up about how courting an athlete affected her identification and profession.

Whereas celebrating her victory on “Particular Forces: World’s Hardest Take a look at,” she shared that successful the extraordinary actuality competitors was significantly significant as a result of she achieved it by way of her “personal grit and grind.”

“My success has been attributed to people who I used to be in shut proximity to,” Nicole defined. “That is one thing that occurs to ladies on a regular basis, particularly in leisure and public fields.”

Nicole additionally made it clear that she by no means embraced the widespread time period for companions {of professional} athletes: “I by no means referred to myself as a W.A.G. [Wives and Girlfriends],” she said. “Docs’ wives do not name themselves D.A.G.s … I do not know why that even turned a factor apart from the TV present, however I get it.”

Nicole additionally detailed the challenges that include being in a relationship with a professional athlete, from demanding schedules to frequent journey.

“I believe courting an athlete is a alternative and generally is a problem for any lady as a result of their schedules require rather a lot,” she defined. “Particularly if it is lengthy distance, and you end up placing your personal objectives and goals on the again burner to help theirs.”

She admitted that discovering that steadiness was a wrestle that in the end formed her perspective shifting ahead.

Whereas Nicole has confronted public scrutiny within the wake of Kelce’s new romance, she continues to carve out her personal path, specializing in her profession and private progress relatively than being outlined by her previous relationship.

Critics have accused Nicole of searching for validation, with one person writing, “Why do you search a lot validation from posting your self like this?” One other added, “Not all males wish to see pores and skin on social media of their future spouse.”

Regardless of the relentless commentary, Nicole has not shied away from responding. In a single occasion, she fired again at a very harsh troll on X, the social media platform previously referred to as Twitter, retweeting a sarcastic comment about her look with the caption, “YOU WILL NEVER MAKE ME HATE ME. Hold it upppppppp bookie.”

In October 2023, Nicole addressed the continued backlash in an open letter, acknowledging the “embarrassment” and scrutiny she has confronted since Kelce moved on with Swift. “Protect your coronary heart even once they attempt to quantify your character and check your boundaries,” she wrote. “You shouldn’t have to reply. As a result of there’s energy in your silence.”

One 12 months later, in October 2024, the sports activities commentator appeared on “Unapologetically Angel,” a podcast hosted by WNBA star Angel Reese, the place she spoke concerning the overwhelming negativity she continues to endure.

“I’d be mendacity if I stated that that degree of hate and simply, like, on-line chaos did not affect me. It does. Even to today,” Nicole admitted. “You may go to my most up-to-date publish, and will probably be individuals debating one another why I’m nugatory, and I will by no means be a proficient individual, and I’ve no profession.”

Later that month, Nicole turned emotional whereas discussing the backlash she faced after showing on Reese’s podcast. Throughout an episode of I Am Athlete, she mirrored on how her phrases have been interpreted and the response that adopted.

“I believed that I dealt with issues with grace,” she stated, holding again tears. “I answered the inquiries to the very best of my skill.” Nonetheless, Nicole acknowledged that the general public had “their interpretation of issues,” which solely intensified the criticism directed at her.