When former Kansas City Chiefs insider Kayla Nicole took to Instagram just days after Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift, her message raised questions about possible lingering emotions.
As Kelce and Swift’s engagement became one of Instagram’s most-liked posts, Nicole’s sharp workout message and her pursuit of “joy” pointed to something more complex than fitness-or even closure.
Instead, Nicole indicated that she was struggling with a physical injury to her back – and hoped that her workout in the gym could help get past it. But the emotion displayed in her words pointed to something else. Was she wrestling with her private heartache and public visibility?
In a video of a grueling glute and leg workout, Nicole captioned it: “The goal? A back that says stop f**king playing with me,” set to the beat of Gunna’s “Made for This S**t.”
A message painted with emotion
The impassioned statement came as Kelce and Swift shared their rose-filled backyard engagement announcement-completed with a reportedly million-dollar custom ring.
Nicole didn’t stop there. She also shared a clip of actress Tracee Ellis Ross reflecting on the nature of joy. Ross said: “Happiness is something you can get at 7-Eleven, and joy is something you earn and work for…”
Nicole added her own note: “Read about this concept years ago in a book called Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough. I aspire! So so good.”
Though Nicole has publicly expressed respect for Swift-saying she thinks Taylor’s “very talented” and that she has “no problem admitting” Kelce’s new partner is striking-the timing and tone of her posts suggest deeper undercurrents.
Everything to know about Kaya Nicole and Travis Kelce’s relationship
Nicole and Kelce were in an on-and-off relationship from 2017 to 2022. Since their split, Nicole has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of watching Kelce’s new relationship flourish in the spotlight.
In prior interviews, she described the experience of public scrutiny as “overwhelming” and “exhausting,” noting that even neutral posts could spark commentary rooted in her ex’s new high-profile romance.
She once said on her podcast: “If you’re gonna lose, I want to lose to the best team… make me look good. Right?”
That remark-imbued with both humor and heartache-sheds light on how she’s managed expectations and emotion in the public eye.
Nicole’s engagement with mental health, her acknowledgment of therapy, and her efforts to preserve her joy show a clear intent to grow amid a high-profile breakup.
Whether her cryptic gym caption is defiance, healing, or simply a challenge to herself-or to someone else-it’s a reminder that behind social media optics, real emotions often run deeper than the screen suggests.
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