Travis Kelce's Ex Kayla Nicole Speaks Out with Message to 'Preserve Your Heart'

Nicole, a model and sports broadcaster, dated the Chiefs tight end on and off from 2017 to 2022

Reporter and fitness influencer Kayla Nicole wrote a powerful open letter to Black girls amid the "backlash" she's gotten from online trolls following her ex-boyfriend Travis Kelce's rumored relationship with Taylor Swift.

In a video shared on Instagram, Nicole, 31, whose past broadcast work includes ESPN, read her thoughtful message to the camera. "It’s always been really important for me to use my platform, not to create division, but to elevate and unite women, Black women specifically," she said before beginning her address.

"Dear Black girl, they may call you a traitor for falling in love. You’ll hope the ones closest will protect you, but you will quickly find out that people don’t protect what they don’t value. They'll say you're too much, too provocative, too boisterous, too outspoken, and in the same breath, tell you that you aren’t enough."

Nicole continued, "They’ll say you deserve the backlash and embarrassment. Because of your Blackness, you should have known better. They’ll even try to tie your value to your net worth. But Black girl, please remember your value lies elsewhere. Your value is deep within your heart."

"You don't have to participate in this tumultuous, often one-sided journey. Preserve your heart, even when they try to quantify your character and test your boundaries, you do not have to engage. You do not have to respond because there is power in your silence."

Nicole encouraged listeners to use "that same power" to "silence the voices" that feed "this demoralizing and antiquated narrative."

The model and host said she hopes sharing the message will remind other Black girls that they aren't alone in their journeys. "My truth, trauma, and vulnerability are a relatable part of the human experience. I know I’m not alone and I want to make sure you know that you’re not either. On days when I feel most inadequate, I have to remind myself that I am, have been, and will always be more than enough," Nicole read.

Reflecting on the ups and downs of relationships, Nicole said, "We love, we hurt, we heal," adding, "Your story is yours to tell. when you feel like nobody knows or understands what it takes to be you, remember that you are a part of something way bigger."

Concluding the letter, Nicole said, "Most importantly, I want you to remember that you are loved. You are valued. You are allowed to take up space. You deserve protection and your feelings – they matter too."

Nicole's video earned high praise from sports personalities like college basketball star Angel Reese. The 21-year-old NCAA champion wrote, "From one black girl to another, THANK YOU for speaking up for us! This was beautiful! Always walk with grace & God because that’s all that matters," in the comments on Nicole's post.

Reese famously spoke out in a similar fashion during the NCAA Championships. After social media users and critics unfairly compared her to Iowa star Caitlin Clark, Reese said,  "All year I was critiqued about who I was. I don't fit the narrative. I don't fit in the box that you all want me to be in. I'm too hood, I'm too ghetto. You told me that all year. But when other people do it, y'all don't say nothing. So this is for the girls that look like me, that want to speak up on what they believe in."

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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' brother, Jackson Mahomes, showed his support with heart emojis in the comments, despite Nicole unfollowing him on the app earlier this month. She also unfollowed Patrick and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, despite years of friendship displayed on social media.

Brittany, 31, was spotted getting friendly with Swift during the Chiefs-Jets game and joined the singer and friends for dinner in New York City. The group dined at the Italian restaurant Emilio’s Ballato on Saturday and sat in a back room of the restaurant for over four hours, with Brittany staying till 1 a.m. local time, while Swift left shortly after around 1:30 a.m.

MTV's Catfish host Kamie Crawford praised Nicole's "grace" in a comment on the post, adding, "So proud of you and your grace." Additionally, San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle's wife, Claire Kittle, wrote, "I love you," on Nicole's post.

Kelce and Nicole started dating in 2017. While it remains unclear when Nicole and Kelce initially met, Nicole previously revealed that they first connected through Instagram. "He had been following me and insta-flirting for a few months," she revealed in a since-deleted Instagram Story captured by TMZ.

Over the course of their relationship, Kelce and Nicole split publicly more than once. In May 2022, the couple broke up for a final time.

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