Photo Credit:Kayla Nicole/Instagram
Kayla Nicole has made her first public appearance since her ex-boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, announced his engagement to Taylor Swift. The podcaster attended the House of Champion event during New York Fashion Week on Thursday, September 11, where she spoke to PEOPLE about the lessons she has learned over the past year. Nicole and Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, began dating in 2017 and were in an on-and-off relationship for five years before parting ways in 2022.
In August, Kelce and Swift, both 35, revealed their engagement on Instagram after two years together, sharing photos of the proposal with the caption, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” Their relationship became public in September 2023 when Swift was spotted at a Chiefs game, more than a year after Kelce and Nicole ended their romance.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Nicole said that the most important realization she has had recently is that “the opinions of others are only as big as you make them.” She added that negativity on social media only has power if you allow it. “Sometimes on social media, we think that it’s the whole world, and it’s really not. It’s just an app with a lot of people, but you are in control of the narrative. If something feels heavy, you can delete the app or log off,” she explained.
Following the engagement announcement, Nicole reposted a clip of actress Tracee Ellis Ross speaking about the difference between joy and happiness. Ross said that joy is a choice and something that requires practice, unlike happiness, which can be fleeting. Nicole told PEOPLE that the message resonated with her, explaining that she makes an intentional effort to choose joy every day.
Since her breakup with Kelce, Nicole has focused on moving forward, which included the public step of unfollowing Brittany and Patrick Mahomes on Instagram. She clarified that she communicated privately with them about her decision, stressing that her choices were rooted in personal boundaries.
Nicole now frequently shares her perspective on relationships through her podcast, The Pre-Game, drawing on her own experiences. In April, she admitted that she has yet to experience the type of “fairytale” romance often portrayed in Disney films, but she remains committed to her values about accountability and loyalty in relationships.