Here’s Who Travis Kelce Dated Before Taylor Swift

Kelce and the sports journalist Kayla Nicole were in a five-year relationship from 2017 to 2022. In a February 2022 interview with E! News, Kelce confirmed the couple began dating after he started Instagram “stalking” Nicole, which led her to direct message him. “It was over the course of a month’s span, just following her and liking the pictures that she was posting and watching all of her stories when stories had first started coming out,” he said about interacting with Nicole’s profile. “Finally, on New Year’s, she gave in. And, you know, New Year new me. She just shot her shot, jumped in my DMs and the rest is history.”

In an Instagram Story that June, Nicole shared her side of the story while answering fan questions. “He had been following me and insta-flirting for a few months. All double taps and no dm. Soooo after a little liquid courage and a pep talk from @iqueenb (something along the lines of ‘WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR’) I dm’d him on New Years,” she wrote, according to the New York Post. “Slid into that thang like it was third base, idk baseball so not sure that’s the best analogy, but ya.”

A year after they began dating, Kelce and Nicole made their red carpet debut as a couple by attending the 2018 ESPY Awards together. Afterward, the pair made several more public appearances together, including at the 2018 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, 2019 Paris Fashion Week, and a 2020 Los Angeles Lakers game.

In August 2020, rumors swirled that Kelce and Nicole had broken up due to the NFL star reportedly cheating on her. Shortly afterward, Kelce confirmed he and Nicole had split, but denied it was due to him being unfaithful. “This is fake news… a lie… and not why Kayla and I broke up,” Kelce said in a since-deleted tweet (via TMZ). “Take all your hatred somewhere else please.”

That December, Kelce revealed he and Nicole had gotten back together in a Q&A with WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike. After Ogwumike asked Kelce who he was buying Christmas gifts for, Kelce confirmed he and Nicole had reconciled by saying, “So obviously we’ve got the fam. My girlfriend Kayla. Kayla is definitely on the list. Always gotta do it big for Kayla,” according to TMZ.

The couple remained together for two more years before they split for good in May 2022.

Before reportedly dating Swift, Kelce was briefly linked to “Access Hollywood” correspondent Zuri Hall in October 2022. According to Entertainment Tonight, the pair got wrapped up in dating rumors after Kelce’s friends posted photos with Hall and Kelce. Hall was also reportedly spotted enjoying a Kansas City Chiefs game in Kelce’s family suite. Once Kelce and Hall’s rumored relationship made headlines, the reporter and Kelce’s previous girlfriend, Nicole, unfollowed each other on Instagram. Since the dating rumors disappeared as quickly as they began, it’s unclear whether Kelce and Hall were officially an item.

In a July 26 episode of his “New Heights” podcast, Kelce hinted he had a crush on Swift by revealing he had tried to connect with the singer at her Eras concert in Kansas City earlier that month. The football player attended the show and hoped to shoot his shot with Swift, but it sadly didn’t happen. “I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her,” Kelce said. “If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, they are friendship bracelets. And I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it.”

Sometime after the episode, it seemed that Kelce was able to meet Swift after all. “Taylor and Travis have been quietly hanging out,” a source told The Messenger on Sept. 12. “She saw him when she was in NYC a few weeks ago.”

Of course, fans instantly assumed Kelce and Swift were dating. The NFL star addressed the rumors in a Sept. 21 interview with “The Pat McAfee Show.” He said it was “hilarious” how much “traction” the rumors have been getting. Kelce also hinted he had asked Swift out by inviting her to a future Kansas City Chiefs game. “I threw the ball in her court and, you know, I told her, I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one is a little more lit,” he said.

On Sept. 24, Swift accepted Kelce’s invitation by watching the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium. Swift was spotted decked out in red to support Kelce. She was also pictured standing beside Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, throughout the game. According to photos published by the Daily Mail, the rumored couple left Arrowhead Stadium together in Kelce’s vintage convertible.

Kelce gushed over Swift’s appearance at the game during a Sept. 27 episode of his podcast. “It was definitely a game I’ll remember, that’s for damn sure,” he said. “Shout out to Taylor for coming through and seeing me rock the stage.”

On Oct. 1, Swift showed support for Kelce again by attending the Kansas City Chiefs game at MetLife Stadium. The singer brought some of her closest friends, including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sophie Turner, and Sabrina Carpenter.