A growing fan theory suggests Donna Kelce’s early exit from The Traitors may have been planned from the start, after the 73-year-old was shockingly voted out before even being formally introduced as the season’s Secret Traitor.
Kelce – the mother of NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce – was eliminated during a surprise third-episode banishment, a move that stunned viewers and quickly sparked speculation online.
In a widely shared Instagram video, user @shelby_g_t_laid laid out a theory arguing Kelce may have signed a short, three-episode contract with the show, aligning with the timing and manner of her departure.
Fans pointed to several factors fueling the suspicion. Kelce was cast as the Secret Traitor, a new twist for the U.S. version of the series, which some believe was designed to keep a high-profile personality front and center early in the season.
Others noted her limited participation in physical challenges, including sitting out a demanding chariot race, raising questions about whether producers had concerns over the show’s physical demands.
Kelce’s fans claim it was all planned
Viewers also flagged the unprecedented timing of Donna’s elimination. Instead of the usual nighttime banishment following a challenge, host Alan Cumming announced an extra vote after breakfast – the moment Kelce was sent home.
The near-unanimous vote, despite limited evidence against her, further fueled suspicion.
“1000% planned. Too obvious,” one fan commented, while another said the episode “felt really strange,” adding that the game appeared to settle once Kelce was eliminated. The video outlining the theory has surpassed 135,000 views.
Not all viewers agreed. Some argued Kelce was simply “bad at the game” or too obvious in her behavior. Others noted that the Secret Traitor concept had previously appeared on the U.K. version of the show and was not created specifically for Kelce.
Donna is delighted with the experience
Amid the debate, producers are reportedly reconsidering the twist. A source told The Sun that the Secret Traitor element was a “huge miscalculation” and an overcorrection to past seasons that favored experienced strategy-show contestants. The source added that the concept is unlikely to return.
Kelce, meanwhile, has expressed nothing but enthusiasm about her experience. “I never thought in a million years that I would get this chance,” she said on the show, calling the opportunity a chance to reinvent herself. After her exit aired, she wrote on social media that she had “the time of my life in The Highlands.”
Several cast members echoed that sentiment, with Michael Rapaport calling Kelce “awesome, fun, and cool.”
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