Kayla Nicole declined to comment Thursday when asked about her former relationship with Travis Kelce after the Kansas City Chiefs star’s recent engagement to Taylor Swift, deflecting questions on the red carpet and praising the New York Fashion Week event she was attending.
When a Daily Mail reporter approached Nicole at the House of Champions show, the 33-year-old responded, “Oh, no, no, no,” and shifted the conversation to the party, saying, “I’m really happy to be here at Champion, though!” and calling the gathering “dope.” Reps for Kelce and Swift did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
Nicole, who attended the event in a blue unbuttoned shirt with a loose maroon tie and belted dark-wash jeans, spoke at greater length about her personal life earlier in the interview, confirming that she is single and describing qualities she seeks in a partner. “I love an honest man, a man of really great character,” she said, adding that she values someone who is fun, spontaneous and has strong relationships with family and friends. When asked more directly whether she was single, Nicole replied, “Yes, I am. Who’s ever asking, absolutely,” and said she has been enjoying her “little single season.”
Nicole, a sports journalist and creator of Tribe Therepē, dated Kelce on and off from 2017 to 2022. Kelce, 35, began a relationship with Swift, also 35, in the summer of 2023; the couple announced their engagement in August with photos posted from a garden setting. The development drew widespread media attention and renewed public interest in Kelce’s previous relationships.
While Nicole declined to speak about Kelce’s engagement at the event, she has posted a series of social media messages in recent weeks that some outlets have described as cryptic. Following the engagement announcement, she reshared a short clip quoting Tracee Ellis Ross — “Joy is different from happiness” — and posted a workout video with the caption, “The goal? A back that says stop f–king playing with me.”
Nicole has also defended her right to discuss her own life publicly. On her podcast, Pre-Game, she addressed critics, saying, “Sue me, sweetie. Jesus,” and adding that she can become “sensitive” and “triggered” while expressing a desire to “clear [her] name” and address matters as a person who wants to talk about her life.
The exchange on the red carpet came amid heightened media scrutiny of celebrity relationships and former partners. Nicole’s choice to pivot away from questions about Kelce’s engagement reflects a common approach by public figures navigating inquiries about private relationships during public appearances.
Nicole’s comments at the House of Champions event were limited to the red carpet interaction and her remarks about dating preferences and single life. She did not offer further comment on Kelce’s engagement, and no representatives for Kelce or Swift provided statements to Page Six at the time of the interview.
