“Get a 9 to 5”: Fans Erupt as Travis Kelce’s Ex Kayla Nicole Appears in Super Bowl Ad Mocking His Relationship with Taylor Swift
By JAKE FENNER, US SPORTS WRITER
Published: 17:40 GMT, 9 February 2026 | Updated: 19:10 GMT, 9 February 2026
She dated him for five years. She split from him nearly four years ago. She has watched from the sidelines as he became a three-time Super Bowl champion and got engaged to the most famous pop star on the planet.
Nicole’s segment took direct aim at Kelce and his fiancée, Taylor Swift by name
The Ad: “Swiftly” Is the Trigger
The 30-second spot, which aired during the third quarter of Super Bowl LX, followed a simple premise: celebrities who have been “injured emotionally in a high-profile relationship” can hire Simmons and Haddish to help them get revenge on their famous exes.
The ad featured cameos from Love Island USA’s Ace Greene, former Migos rapper Offset, and—most notably—Simmons himself, who appeared to jab at his ex-girlfriend Kendall Jenner. Jenner had starred in her own Super Bowl ad for Fanatics,
The reference was unmistakable. Swift. Travis Kelce. The relationship that has dominated tabloids, sports pages, and music charts for three years. Nicole, who dated Kelce from 2017 to 2022,
The Pattern: Four Years of Subtle (and Not-So-Subtle) Digs
Nicole’s appearance in the Sleeper ad is hardly her first foray into post-relationship commentary. Since Kelce and Swift went public in September 2023, Nicole has engaged in a pattern of behavior that critics describe as “performative pettiness.”
Each incident, viewed in isolation, could be dismissed as coincidence or harmless venting. Viewed collectively, they paint a portrait of a woman who has not, despite the passage of nearly four years,
The Psychology: Why Can’t She Let Go?
“High-profile breakups are uniquely difficult because the grieving process happens in public,” said Dr. Rachel Simmons (no relation to Ben), a Los Angeles-based clinical psychologist specializing in celebrity clients.
“There’s also the factor of unequal status,” she added. “Travis Kelce was already famous when they dated but he wasn’t this famous. Taylor Swift is arguably the most famous woman in the world. Watching your ex ascend to a level of fame you never shared with him
The question, Dr. Simmons said, is not whether Nicole is entitled to her feelings. It’s whether publicly airing them particularly in a paid commercial aired during the Super Bowl is a healthy coping mechanism.
“Spoiler: it’s not.”
Kelce and Swift: Above the Fray
As of Super Bowl LX, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift remain firmly entrenched as America’s most scrutinized couple. Kelce, 36, caught seven passes for 89 yards and a touchdown .
The contrast between Swift’s approach and Nicole’s could not be starker. One writes Grammy-winning albums about her experiences and moves on. The other appears in Super Bowl commercials to mock her ex’s new fiancée and is promptly roasted by millions of viewers.
The Aftermath: Who Won Super Bowl Sunday?
The Seahawks won the game. Bad Bunny’s halftime show was declared a cultural triumph by some and a “slap in the face” by Donald Trump . The Super Bowl ad that cost $9 million for 30 seconds will be forgotten by Tuesday.