Travis Kelce hasn’t been able to dodge rumors since he started making headlines for dating one of the world’s biggest pop star, Taylor Swift. With time, he’s learned an important lessons: “Being worldwide is way different than just being famous in Kansas City” (via The Washington Post). His personal life has become a goldmine for tabloids and conspiracy theorists both. When news of his relationship with Swift first made the rounds in 2023, there was speculation that their unlikely pairing was nothing more than just a marketing strategy. “Of course it’s PR. They don’t go out unless it’s public with a s**tload of cameras around,” one Reddit user pointed out. However, another disagreed, saying, “I doubt it. I don’t think Travis wants a breakup song written about him by Taylor!”
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Then there was the drama surrounding Kelce’s last relationship before he and the “folklore” singer became an item. He dated influencer Kayla Nicole on-and-off for about five years and was said to have cheated on her with another woman, hence why so many people can’t stand him. “This is fake news… a lie… and not why Kayla and I broke up,” Kelce wrote in a since-deleted tweet on X, formerly Twitter, per TMZ. “Take all your hatred somewhere else please.” Nicole, however, seems to have a different version of this story. No matter how hard he tries to stay above it, it seems drama follows the Kansas City Chiefs tight end wherever he goes.
Is Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift really just a PR stunt?
As rumors continued to swirl that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance was nothing more than a publicity stunt, things got even messier after a document supposedly outlining the details of their breakup surfaced on the Internet in 2024. On Reddit, photos of a memo titled “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift” reignited talks that their relationship is all but for show. It had a confidentiality notice and the logo of Kelce’s PR team, Full Scope Public Relations, displayed prominently on the top page. However, a representative for Full Scope quickly issued a statement dismissing the memo as fake. “These documents are entirely false and fabricated and were not created, issued, or authorized by this agency,” said the rep (via Rolling Stone). “We have engaged our legal team to initiate proceedings against the individuals or entities responsible for the unlawful and injurious forgery of documents.”
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Travis Kelce calls in lawyers after document is leaked from his PR agency detailing how his break-up from Taylor Swift will be rolled out to the media pic.twitter.com/romeoZVI4M
— Mr Shelby (@mrshelby101) January 27, 2025
To be fair, even social media users think that the contract was a sham. “The number one reason this looks fake to me, as someone who works in PR, [is] there is no way he’d be doing ‘select interviews’ in the aftermath of this. Just no,” one Reddit user said. Others pointed out that the media plan was obviously AI-generated and that no reputable agency would make the amateur mistake of having the name of top clients printed so blatantly on a document. And anyway, if it turned out that the document was real? “Then they definitely won’t be breaking up on that day anymore,” another user pointed out. As for the couple in question, Kelce and Swift torched up the breakup contract rumors by engaging in spicy game day PDA just a few weeks later.
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Is Kelce only dating Swift for clout?
If Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s romance is indeed legit as they say, could it be that he’s using her for fame? From the get go, their relationship seems to everyone a mystery, especially as the two couldn’t come from more different backgrounds. He’s a football player who’s only dated Black women before his relationship with Swift, while she’s a massive pop star who’s only ever gone out with men within the same circle and level of status as her. Given these obvious contrasts, many couldn’t help but question whether Kelce’s interest in her is genuine. “I feel like Travis is using Taylor for clout. He knows she’s newly single and the most talked about woman rn,” said one user on Reddit. Over on X, another expressed, “The only reason why interest has piqued in him is because he’s dating Taylor Swift… He’s a clout chaser who got what he wanted from her.”
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However, sources close to the couple said the two are actually a great fit. “Travis is a great guy,” an insider from People stressed. “He’s a very real person, kind and a gentleman. It’s obvious that he loves Taylor.” Even Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has spoken up to defend their relationship. While appearing on “Mad Money with Jim Cramer” in 2024, Hunt stressed that the NFL star and the Grammy winning singer are indeed the real deal. He also expressed his support for the pair. “We’re so happy for Travis Kelce and Taylor and their relationship,” he said. “I’ve had a chance to meet her at one of the many games that she’s attended this year and she’s just as sweet as she can be.”
His ex accused him of cheating
After going their separate ways, Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole seemed to hold back from speaking out publicly regarding the true nature of their split. At first, she only had kind words to say about him and refused to talk negatively about their relationship, instead opening up about her healing process during that period. “He’s a great guy,” Nicole said of Kelce while appearing on “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, hosted by Angel Reese. “And that [relationship] was a good time in my life.” But then things got shady real quick as Nicole accidentally confirmed she’s still not completely over him. As the tight end’s romance with Taylor Swift continued to heat up, the model and media personality appeared to take a jab at her ex by a sharing a cryptic post on TikTok regarding her last relationship. “You’re not stupid Kayla. No, I am actually. Thought I’d get wifed after dating for 5 year[s]. That’s 1,825 days,” Nicole quipped (via StyleCaster). However, she ended up taking down the post after receiving fierce backlash from Swift’s fans.
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Continuing to shed light on her breakup with Kelce, Nicole boldly stated on her podcast that she’s never had a relationship in which she didn’t get cheated on in one way or another. “In my experience, I don’t have successful, monogamous relationships without any element of cheating,” she claimed, basically accusing Kelce of being unfaithful. “When you are cheated on, the heartbreak and the devastation [and the insecurities] that come with that… it can be overwhelming.” She also shared what counts as a major dealbreaker for her when it comes to men, which is when they’re emotionally shut-off or refuses to go to therapy. “If you don’t do those things? I’m immediately terrified of you,” Nicole added. Whether or not there’s truth to Nicole’s claims is anyone’s guess, but it’s unlikely Kelce will ever escape speculation.
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