Sat, February 21, 2026 at 3:47 PM UTC
Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole attend the 11th Annual NFL Honors at YouTube Theater on February 10, 2022 in Inglewood, California
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The Gist
Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole is reflecting on what went wrong in their five-year relationship as the athlete prepares to marry Taylor Swift.
Nicole hinted that the Kansas City Chiefs star was the “right man, wrong time” during a new interview.
Kelce proposed to Swift last August.
As Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce count down to their highly-anticipated wedding, the Kansas City Chiefs player’s ex-girlfriend is reflecting on how their relationship ended. Kelce dated Kayla Nicole on and off from 2017 to 2022 before famously moving on with Swift in 2024—and the sports journalist hinted at the NFL star being the “right man, wrong time” while opening up about the reasons behind their breakup in a new interview.
While chatting with Love Island’s Ace Greene in a TikTok live video on Thursday, February 19, the conversation turned to Nicole’s last relationship, which she said was “probably, like, three years ago now. It’s been a long time.” The influencer didn’t mention Kelce by name, but she also shared rare comments reflecting on why their five-year relationship ultimately didn’t work out, per TMZ. “Who knows. [It] could be compatibility issues,” Nicole mused, also saying it could have been a situation of “right person, wrong time.”
Kayla Nicole attends the Ebony Power 100 Gala at The Beverly Hilton on November 4, 2025
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Nicole didn’t speak on Kelce’s current relationship with Swift, but she revealed that she’s moved on and is looking for love again—although she quipped that finding her Prince Charming is a bit of a tall order in the modern dating scene. “It’s kind of sad because I feel like dating in 2026 is just hard all the way around. I feel like the bar is in hell. So, my new list of requirements is: having a job—that’s at the top of the list,” the Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test winner joked.
NFL player Travis Kelce and media personality Kayla Nicole attend The 2018 ESPYS
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Taylor Swift celebrates with Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs after defeating the Buffalo Bills 32-29 in the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025
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Swift has never publicly spoken about Nicole, but many Swifties believe her Life of a Showgirl track “Opalite” includes a dig at Nicole being “in her phone.” Meanwhile, Nicole recently appeared in a Super Bowl 2026 ad that appeared to subtly shade Swift and her ex-boyfriend with a faux “ex-communication” service. In the star-studded skit, the ESPN host was one of many celebrities seeking services after being “injured emotionally in a high-profile relationship.”
Read the original article on InStyle