Catching Kayla: 5 things to know about Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s new girlfriend

Five months after breaking up with his girlfriend and “Catching Kelce” winner Maya Benberry, it seems Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has caught someone else.

Last weekend while at his teammate Jeremy Maclin’s wedding, Kelce posted a photo to Instagram that got the internet buzzing:

It’s obviously more than just a casual candid with a random girl. First off, random girls don’t get wedding invites. And then of course there’s the judicious usage of the “B” word. And perhaps most obviously the fact that they look extra comfortable and connected. Cozy, even. If this wasn’t a “bae” posting, it sure felt like one.

And then this happened:

Throwback, eh? Yeah, consider this your latest Kelce catch. Her name is Kayla Nicole.

But who exactly is she? We found five quick things to better acquaint you with Kelce’s new gal.

1. She’s not from KC

Her Twitter and Instagram both hint at Los Angeles as her home base. Her only connection to KC seems to be Kelce himself.

2. She has a background working in media

There’s no shortage of Instagram celebs who refer to themselves as “media personalities” with little actual on-camera experience. But Kayla’s assertion has teeth. Since 2013, Kayla has steadily improved her front-of-the-camera resume. Her old YouTube account shows Kayla hosting events, working the red carpet, interviewing celebs and even attending New York Fashion Week for her own vertical, Kayla Nicole TV, and for fashion website Fashion Reverie.

More recently, Kayla has signed on with popular rap/hip-hop website HotNewHipHop as the “resident tastemaker”/gal on the street:

3. The breadwinner seems to be modeling

Kayla’s onscreen work seems to take a backseat to her modeling. She has nearly 4,000 followers on Twitter and amost 10 times that on Instagram. Whether modeling hair, fashion, swimwear or activewear, whatever Kayla posts to Instagram seems bank for thousands of likes:

4. But still, she’s more than just a pretty face

For what it’s worth, TMZ reports that Kayla has an undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.

5. ‘That girl,” she’s a real crowd pleaser …

Her moniker is “That Girl Kayla Nicole,” and for good reason: She sure knows how to grab a headline. Even though it has barely been two days since the non-announcement announcement, Kayla’s striking beauty has already led to “Who’s That?!” posts from TMZ, Bet.com, Bossip, The Big Lead and other big-name pubs.

As for Kelce, why is he wearing a sling in that Instagram photo?

He had surgery on his shoulder after the Chiefs’ season ended with a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Arrowhead Stadium. However, Kelce is expected to be back in time for training camp, which begins in July.

Kelce broke into the national consciousness with his reality show “Catching Kelce” on the E! network last fall. When it ended, people were furious that Kelce picked Maya Benberry. Twitter comments ranged from sad to angry to wanting justice.

In the end, the relationship didn’t last more than a few months, but Benberry routinely teased fans with snippets of information about the couple’s relationship.

A two-time Pro Bowl player, Kelce will be in Kansas City for a while because he signed a five-year, $46 million contract extension in January 2016. Last season, he had 85 catches for 1,125 yards and four touchdowns, including an 80-yard catch and run touchdown on Christmas night against Denver that he celebrated by dancing to “Feliz Navidad” in the end zone.

Kelce also was ejected from a game after being penalized a second time against the Jaguars when he threw a towel at an official.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 6:12 PM.