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Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift‘s engagement was announced this morning, and promptly send the internet into a spiral of swooning and gasping. This is big news people, not only for the gorgeous sparkling engagement ring that’s so true to Swift’s personality, but for the love story itself, which is especially satisfying for fans who have been on the journey with the pop icon.
But before Kelce and Swift met and shared their whirlwind romance with the world, the Kansas City Chiefs tight-end made headlines for his other relationships. From reality television fame to long-term love, and a brief rumoured fling, his dating history was capturing the interest of onlookers long before he met Swift.
While none of these relationships were end-game, a close look at his gorgeous ex-girlfriends offers a glimpse into his pre-Taylor life. Here’s a breakdown of everyone Kelce has been linked to before Swift.
Maya Benberry (2016)
In 2016, Travis Kelce turned to reality television to find love, starring in the E! dating series Catching Kelce. Out of 50 contestants, he chose Maya Benberry, a woman hailing from Kentucky. The relationship marked the beginning of his high-profile romances, and though they seemed loved-up on the show, the relationship appeared to quickly fizzle once filming wrapped.
Benberry had confirmed their split by early 2017 and later accused Kelce of cheating. Though the relationship was short-lived, it definitely was the start of Kelce’s transition from merely being a highly successful NFL star to being a bona fide celebrity.
Kayla Nicole (2017–2022)
Shortly after his TV romance ended, Kelce entered his longest and most public relationship with sports broadcaster and influencer Kayla Nicole. Long-time fans of Kelce (or anyone who read so many romance novels about tight ends that they became prematurely aware of his existence) will know that these two had a sweet relationship that lasted years. She was regularly cheering Kelce on from the sidelines of his games and the pair lived what appeared to be a glitzy and glamorous lifestyle away from the game.
The two reportedly met when Kelce slid into her Instagram DMs on New Year’s Eve, which is a story that the pair shared on multiple occasions. For the next five years, Nicole became a fixture at Chiefs games and events.
That’s not to say that’s all Nicole is known for, in fact, that’s far from the truth. She’s a sports broadcaster who is successful in her own right, as the host of a weekly podcast titled The “Pre-Game” Podcast. She also has a thriving influencing career.
The relationship, however, was considered to be quite on and off. In 2020, cheating rumours once again circulated, and though Kelce denied them at the time, calling them “fake news”, it was the prevailing narrative online. They did get back together after this though, so perhaps it was just rumour. Despite reconciling multiple times, they officially broke up in 2022.
Nicole later spoke openly about the emotional impact of their breakup, which is reasonable when you consider how many Swifties drop into her comment sections every time a story about Swift and Kelce breaks. In the immediate wake of their engagement announcement, Nicole once again rose above the speculation by posting a fundraising link to her Instagram stories, no doubt to capitalise on the thousands of people flocking to her page.
Zuri Hall (2022–2023)
Following his final breakup with Nicole, Kelce was briefly linked to Access Hollywood correspondent Zuri Hall. The speculation began in October 2022, when Hall was spotted in Kelce’s suite at a Chiefs game. Fans naturally were quick to link the pair romantically, but despite this, neither Kelce nor Hall confirmed a relationship. Hall later dismissed the speculation, noting she found the rumours amusing and untrue.
The post All The Women Travis Kelce Dated Before His Engagement To Taylor Swift appeared first on ELLE.
