Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, thought she handled questions about her personal life with grace during a recent interview on Angel Reese’s podcast — until her mom called.
During Tuesday’s installment of the “I Am Athlete Daily” show, the influencer recalled her mom being upset over negative backlash on social media when she discussed the Chiefs’ tight end, among other things in her personal life.
“I thought that I handled things with grace. Thought that I answered the questions to the best of my ability,” Nicole said through tears. “The public had their interpretation of things — didn’t matter to me.
“My mom calls me, though. And it’s those conversations … that’s what matters to me because she’s offended. She’s hurt by the way people are perceiving her daughter. She’s hurt by the negative headlines and the way people are spinning it.
“And even my mom was like, ‘Maybe next time, we don’t answer those questions,’ and it’s simple as that. Don’t give it any energy. You don’t always have to respond. I’ve been on that soap box for a long time. I don’t always have to respond.”
Nicole dated the Chiefs star on and off from 2017-22, and she became close friends with Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The 32-year-old model, who has millions of social media followers, was thrust into the spotlight when Kelce began dating Taylor Swift last summer.
During a recent appearance on Reese’s “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, Nicole explained that she’s been dealing with online hate from Kelce’s “situation” and that she didn’t do anything to warrant such backlash.
“I currently am experiencing a master class of the power of your words and the influence of the media,” she said on the “I Am Athlete Daily” show.
Nicole said she wanted to learn from former NFL stars Brandon Marshall and Martellus Bennett, who both appeared in the segment, because they were veterans in the space as ex-professional athletes while Bennett has since become a director.