“I was having a hard time getting out of bed,” revealed Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole in October last year, as Taylor Swift’s romance with the football tight end started making headlines. But eight months later, the fitness guru seems to fully moved on from her “major breakup and major life change”. 

While Travis Kelce was running routes on Taylor Swift’s stage back in Wembley, Nicole was strutting down the roads of Los Angeles, as confident as ever. The influencer and model made a game-changing appearance at the fourth annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards, aimed at honoring influencers, celebrities and icons who have made a lasting impact on culture.

Proving she’s no second-string player in the game of life, Kayla lit up the Beverly Hilton’s ballroom like a perfectly executed two-minute drill, donning a crystal-studded gown that would make even the flashiest end zone celebrations look tame. She shared her excitement on Instagram, saying, “Honored to be invited into rooms that celebrate those making a lasting impact on the culture. Also always love a good reason to get glam.”

Hosted by comedy quarterback Tiffany Haddish for the third time, the event was a pro bowl of cultural influencers. With Hollywood MVPs like Sharon Stone and Christian Louboutin in attendance, the event had a star-studded list of award acceptances. While the Inspiration Award went to Cardi B and the Perseverance Award to actor Jonathan Majors, other notable recipients included rapper Fat Joe, designer Christian Louboutin, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Da Brat and her wife Jessica Harris-Dupart.

However, this wasn’t just a pass at relevance by Nicole; it was a power play showcasing her ability to break free from the coverage of her past relationship that lasted half a decade. The influencer’s journey to this moment has been nothing short of a comeback story worthy of a Super Bowl highlight reel.

Following her split from Kelce, she tackled personal growth head-on. “Look, we love, we hurt, we heal,” she shared on the “Relations— with Kamie Crawford” podcast, demonstrating the resilience of a seasoned veteran. Her advice to fans facing similar challenges? “Never let an old flame burn twice. You’ve suffered enough. You deserve happiness.”

However, even the toughest players face unexpected storms. On April 18 this year, Kayla found herself in a social media scrimmage with Swift’s fans, after tweeting, “There’s just no way I can fully digest all these new albums.I’m still on ‘Cowboy Carter’,” seemingly in reference to Beyonce’s new album Cowboy Carter and Swift’s The tortured poets department.

One fan fired back, “Taylor doesn’t need your streams,” while another quipped, “You will always be known as Taylor’s boyfriend’s ex worry about that.” Kayla kept her cool, responding like a pro: “I’m unproblematic. Mind my business. Never respond to the constant vitriol…Just know everyone has a breaking point & would love for “yall” (because you know exactly who you are) to leave me alone.”

But with time, it all seems to have simmered down with the ex-couple going down their individual paths happily. And boy is Travis Kelce also enjoying that road!

From the field to the stage!

Across the pond, the 34-year-old star athlete was busy executing a different kind of play-action. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end made a surprise appearance during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in London in a move that had fans cheering louder than a last-second touchdown. Decked out in a top hat and black tailcoat that would make any offensive lineman jealous, Kelce carried Swift across the stage during a theatrical transition. He showed he could hang with Swift’s backup dancers, fanning himself dramatically and urging the pop icon to perform, proving he’s as comfortable on the stage as he is in the end zone.

This wasn’t just any old screen pass. Swift had revamped her setlist to include tracks from her latest album, released in April. Kelce’s cameo added an extra layer of star power to an already electrifying show, like adding a trick play to a championship-winning drive.

Safe tro say, the crowd’s reaction was louder than the Arrowhead Stadium roar. However, Kelce’s stage debut wasn’t his only highlight of the night. He’d been spotted in the VIP section, singing and dancing alongside a roster of stars, including Tom Cruise and Sir Paul McCartney. In a wholesome moment, Swift even changed the lyrics of her song “Karma” to, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me” (originally ‘guy on the screen’). 

In another major highlight, the singer-songwriter and her boyfriend even got to hang out with Prince Williams (yes, you read that right!) as the latter showed up to the London Eras Tour to celebrate his 42nd birthday. Also accompanying him were Prince George (10) and Princess Charlotte (9). Later, Swift shared a selfie with the trio and Travis Kelce, debuting their relationship on Instagram. The official Instagram account of The Prince and Princess of Wales also shared the same update, minus the Super Bowl winner this time.

It’s clear that both Kayla Nicole and Travis Kelce are playing at the top of their game, albeit on very different fields. While Kelce is basking in the spotlight of a pop icon’s tour, Kayla is living her moment of popularity with renewed vigor.