Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole were in a relationship for five years, making her one of the most prominent women in the NFL star’s life before he met his fiancee, Taylor Swift.
Since their breakup in 2022, Kelce and Nicole have both done well for themselves. Nicole, 33, has a thriving career as an influencer, model and host of the “The Pre-Game with Kayla Nicole” podcast.
Kelce, 36, has since won two Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs, and put another ring on Swift’s finger when they got engaged in August. The billion-dollar couple reportedly has eyes on a wedding date after the NFL season ends.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, at the 2018 ESPY Awards.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
As the Chiefs approached one of their biggest games of the season against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, it was Kelce’s ex who returned to the spotlight and stole the attention of social media with a Halloween costume perceived to be a message to Swift and Kelce.
What Happened With Kayla Nicole And Taylor Swift?
Nicole dressed as Toni Braxton and re-created the music video for Braxton’s song “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” which fans took as a dig at ex Kelce.
“She’s an icon. She’s a legend. She’s @tonibraxton circa 2000,” Nicole captioned an Instagram post that drew a wave of comments.
Many tabbed it as a response to a line from Swift’s hit song “Opalite” from her most recent album “The Life of a Showgirl.” In the song, Swift wrote: “You couldn’t understand it, why you felt alone / You were in it for real, she was in her phone / And you were just a pose.”
“Will the real showgirl step to the front!!!!!” said a comment on Nicole’s Instagram post with more than 7,000 likes.
“this is too good!” said another popular comment. “But also, we heard THE MESSAGE.”
Nicole’s inspiration, Braxton, approved of the costume in the comments. “You killed it mama!” she said.
“Last laugh for sure!” said one response. “Better dancer better everything. She is punching air right now.”
“This is how you have the last laugh..” commented a fan on Nicole’s next post, which showed how she put the outfit and music video together.
“Somebody gon check on TayTay?” asked a commenter directly.
Kelce, Chiefs Stay Focused Amid Possible Distractions
Heading into one of the best rivalry games in the NFL between MVP quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, Kelce’s ex and her Halloween costume were probably the last thing the Chiefs star would have expected to see in the news.
But when you are as big off the field as Kelce has become throughout his relationship with Swift, the ability to shake it off when a new rumor pops up becomes that much more important.
“Business as usual!” Kelce said in a post on Saturday, keeping the focus on his teammates and their contributions during Kansas City’s three-game win streak heading into Buffalo.
The Chiefs-Bills game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET from Highmark Stadium and will be televised nationally on CBS.
Related: Travis Kelce Pins Change in Off-Field Behavior on Future Wife Taylor Swift
Related: “What Is Life”: Chiefs Star Travis Kelce Reacts to Unexpected Off-Field Development
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
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