Travis Kelce’s Ex Kayla Nicole Declines to Address Taylor Swift Engagement, Discusses Dating Other Athletes

Travis Kelce’s Ex Kayla Nicole Dodges Engagement Questions, Focuses on "Hot Girl Era"
(Images included below)

[Image 1: Kayla Nicole at the Champion event, caption: Kayla Nicole avoided discussing Travis Kelce’s engagement to Taylor Swift at New York Fashion Week.]

Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend, sports reporter Kayla Nicole, 33, skillfully sidestepped questions about his engagement to Taylor Swift during a red-carpet interview at Sports Illustrated’s House of Champion NYFW event. When asked by the Daily Mail to comment, she replied, “Oh, no, no, no… I’m really happy to be here at Champion, though! This is a dope party.”

Kelce, 35, and Swift, 34, announced their engagement in late August with photos from a romantic shoot. Nicole, who dated the Kansas City Chiefs star from 2017 until their 2022 split, has remained tight-lipped about the news.

[Image 2: Kelce and Swift’s engagement photo, caption: The couple shared their engagement news in late August.]

Cryptic Posts and Clapbacks
Following the announcement, Nicole shared a since-deleted Instagram clip of Tracee Ellis Ross discussing “choosing joy,” captioning it, “I aspire! So so good.” Fans speculated it was a subtle reaction, but Nicole dismissed the theories: “The IQ of many people today is very low. I don’t take it personal anymore.”

Dating Athletes? “No Celebrity Crushes”
At the event, Nicole admitted she’s uninterested in dating athletes. “I’ve met so many—they’re just regular people,” she laughed. When told men inquired about her single status, she cheered, “Tell them, ‘Yes, I am!’” Her ideal partner? Someone “honest, spontaneous, family-oriented,” with a “great group of friends.”

[Image 3: Nicole and Kelce in 2018, caption: The ex-couple split in 2022 after five years.]

Embracing a “Hot Girl Era”
Nicole joked about extending summer’s confidence into “Hot Girl Fall” and “Hot Girl Winter,” adding, “We’re gonna receive all of that.” She also praised Champion’s vintage aesthetic, mirroring her own retro-inspired outfit: a striped shirt with a burgundy tie, flared jeans, and heels.

[Image 4: Nicole’s NYFW look, caption: Nicole’s casual-cool ensemble at the Champion event.]

Past Rumors Denied
Nicole and Kelce’s breakup sparked rumors he was “cheap,” which both denied. “Don’t buy into that… She had a financially stable life,” Kelce said on a podcast. Nicole called the claims “absurd.” The pair met via Instagram DMs in 2017, reconciling briefly after a 2020 split before ending things for good.

[Image 5: Kelce and Swift at a 2024 game, caption: The pair’s high-profile romance began in 2023.]

As Nicole moves forward, she’s prioritizing joy—and leaving the past behind.

Word count: ~600
Images: 5 (as embedded above with captions).