Travis Kelce's ex Kayla Nicole breaks down over Swifties' backlash after Angel Reese podcast appearance

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kayla Nicole, the former girlfriend of NFL star Travis Kelce, became tearful while reflecting on the backlash she faced from her recent appearance on WNBA player Angel Reese's podcast.

In the episode, Nicole was questioned about her tumultuous five-year relationship with Kelce, which ended before he started dating Taylor Swift.

Kayla Nicole discusses loss and scrutiny after Travis Kelce's new romance

In the interview, Kayla Nicole shared that she and Travis Kelce can no longer engage in public interactions because of his new relationship.

She also talked about the adverse effects of the intense scrutiny from Taylor Swift's devoted fanbase, which has impacted her personal life and her friendships with other WAGs of the Kansas City Chiefs, according to the Daily Mail.

After her podcast appearance, Nicole encountered considerable backlash online, as Swift's fans urged her to "get over" her past relationship. In a later episode of her own podcast, 'I Am Athlete Daily', Nicole discussed the situation with former NFL players Brandon Marshall and Martellus Bennett.

Reflecting on her experience, Nicole shared, "Sitting down and doing a podcast, I felt like there were moments where I articulated myself in a really good way, and there were moments where if I could go back I would maybe change the way that I said things because it didn't fully embody my character or my heart. But that's something that I'm learning."

Kayla Nicole shares emotional insights on backlash and her mother's support

Kayla Nicole became emotional as she discussed how her mother's reaction to the backlash affected her.

"I thought that I handled things with grace," she said, struggling to hold back tears. "Thought that I answered the questions to the best of my ability. 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."

Her mother suggested that they might avoid certain questions in the future: "Maybe next time, we don’t answer those questions... Don’t give it any energy. You don’t always have to respond." Nicole emphasized, "I’ve been on that soapbox for a long time. I don’t always have to respond."

Kayla Nicole reflects on the emotional toll of online hate following her breakup

Kayla Nicole and Travis Kelce parted ways in 2022, before his high-profile romance with Taylor Swift, which has since drawn significant media attention.

Reflecting on the abuse she has faced from "Swifties," Nicole explained, "I think the combination of everything creates the perfect storm that makes you want to disappear from the world entirely."

She added, "Behind closed doors, the hardest part is losing a partner, a best friend, and going from speaking every day to cutting ties. Then you throw in social media."

She continued, "I would be lying if I said that that level of hate and online chaos didn't impact me, even to this day. You could go to my most recent posts and people would be debating why I am worthless."

Nicole concluded by emphasizing the unfortunate truth that fame can draw extreme reactions: "It has nothing to do with me. I think there's something about that level of fame that attracts crazy people, which is unfortunate because I don't believe I've done anything to deserve that kind of backlash."