Donna Kelce, the mother of NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce, has made her feelings about certain potential reality TV co-stars very clear, in comments widely interpreted as a pointed reference to her son Travis's former romantic partners.
A Clear Message Ahead of 'The Traitors'
Ahead of her appearance on the new season of the popular reality competition show 'The Traitors US', the 73-year-old was asked which type of contestant she would least like to see alongside her. Her answer was unequivocal.
"Maybe some of my sons’ adversaries," Donna Kelce stated. "That could either be on other teams, or it could be coaches, or it could be past girlfriends."
Given that her eldest son, Jason Kelce, has been happily married to Kylie Kelce for seven years, the remark is seen as a clear allusion to the dating history of her younger son, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. Before his very public romance with global superstar Taylor Swift began in September 2023, Travis was in a long-term, on-off relationship with influencer Kayla Nicole from 2017 until 2022.
The Ex-Girlfriend Reaction and Past Romance
Kayla Nicole has previously spoken about the difficulties of her high-profile split from the NFL tight end. During her own stint on the reality bootcamp show 'Special Forces', Nicole opened up about the toll of a public breakup.
"Going through a public breakup, just to be frank, it's been overwhelming. I've never experienced anything like it," she said. "I'm a very confident person, but dealing with trolls or just hate online, I constantly feel like I'm in a state of vulnerability."
Prior to his relationship with Nicole, Travis Kelce briefly dated Maya Benberry, whom he met after the 2016 reality dating show 'Catching Kelce' that he hosted.
Donna's 'Traitors' Journey and Family Support
Discussing her decision to join 'The Traitors', which films in Scotland, Donna Kelce praised the encouragement she received from her famous sons. "They're so excited. They're huge fans," she said. "I'm so excited to be here, I never thought in a million years I would get this chance."
She framed the experience as a form of reinvention. "When you get to a certain part in your life and your kids are starting their own families, it's so important to reinvent yourself. Do the things you've always dreamt of. And that's how I ended up in Scotland."
However, her time on the strategic game was cut short. After being secretly assigned the role of a 'Traitor', she was voted out early by the 'Faithful' contestants, who found her suspiciously quiet.
"Playing a traitor was tough, but I gave it my best shot. This has been a dream come true," Donna remarked, becoming emotional. She added, "These are happy tears that I get to do this at this point in my life. It's just the joy of being in the game."
Donna Kelce is set to become Taylor Swift's mother-in-law following the singer's engagement to her son Travis, adding another layer of celebrity to the family's already prominent public profile.
