Kayla Nicole Asserts Her Right To Reflect On Past Amid Travis Kelce Engagement: “I’m Triggered”

Kayla Nicole is standing her ground after facing backlash for any time she’s openly spoken about her past relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce. The sports journalist addressed her critics during a recent episode of her The Pre-Game podcast, making it clear that sharing her lived experience doesn’t mean she’s trying to “re-hash” anything.

“For me, I don’t fear necessarily being canceled because I don’t think people hold that power,” Kayla told guest Heather Sanders in the episode that premiered last Friday (Aug 29). She stressed that God has a plan for her and haters “can’t change the trajectory” of her life, even if they disapprove of her being candid.

The 33-year-old admitted to being “sensitive” and sometimes “triggered” by her past, explaining that her desire to “clear her name” can often be misinterpreted. “That’s my fear, too, is when I address things, instead of me talking about lived experience, people think it’s just me constantly trying to rehash bullsh*t,” she said. “When in reality, I’m just a human who wants to talk about my life.”

With some humor, she quipped “Sue me, sweetie. Jesus.”

Kayla has long defended her right to reflect on her time with Kelce, whom she dated from 2017 to May 2022, and has commented on the public attention she’s faced since Kelce began dating Taylor Swift in 2023. Last year, she dismissed rumors that their breakup was over Kelce’s frugality, admitting she would never date someone who insists on splitting the bill “50/50.”

She also shared that the media scrutiny over her relationship caused personal pain, particularly for her mother, who was reportedly hurt by the public’s interpretation of her daughter. “She’s hurt with the negative headlines and the way that people are spinning it,” she added, mentioning that her mother advised her not to respond to questions about her ex in the future.

Just days after Kelce and Swift announced their engagement on August 26, social media assumed Kayla posted a few cryptic posts. In one of her working out, she captioned it, “The goal? A back that says stop f**king playing with me.”

In another post, she shared a video of Tracee Ellis Ross reflecting on the difference between joy and happiness. Kayla cpationed the IG Story: “Read about this concept years ago in a book called Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough… I aspire. So so good.”

Kayla’s reflections came hours after Kelce proposed to Swift in a floral-filled engagement reveal, marking nearly two years into their relationship and one year after Kelce’s split from Kayla. While she’s rarely mentioned her ex by name, she has been candid in the past about the heartbreak and insecurities that followed their time together.

She’s also shared that seeing Kelce move on publicly hasn’t dimmed her own light. “It’s so much worse if the guy you loved for so long goes and dates a dud,” she said back in May, sort of praising Taylor Swift. “Instead, it’s easier to acknowledge when the new girl might be popping, might be really hot.”

Watch the full episode here.