Former sports host and social media influencer Kayla Nicole found herself at the center of an online firestorm due to her appearance in one of the commercials, which many sports fans saw as a not-so-subtle dig at her former boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, and his pop artist fiancée, Taylor Swift.Nicole, who had been in a relationship with Kelce for several years before they broke up in 2022, found herself in the spotlight during one of the most-watched ad moments of the year, but it was not a warm welcome. Nicole’s appearance in the ad portion of a campaign for a fantasy sports app called Sleeper quickly brought up old talk about her former relationship with Kelce and put Nicole back in the public eye. What was intended to be a funny commentary on life after a breakup became a topic of conversation online, and not all of it was positive.Kayla Nicole backlash over Super Bowl commercialIn this particular ad, Nicole starred alongside Tiffany Haddish, NBA player Ben Simmons, and rapper Offset in a parody ad in which they starred as “The Ex-Communicators,” a fantasy sports team of experts who help people deal with relationship breakups. Kayla Nicole plays the role of the “ex of a certain NFL player,” and her lines in this particular ad are meant to be full of witty humor. At one point, she talks down the skills of her pretend consultants and, in a conversation about a particular word, ends up saying “swiftly,” a reference to pop artist Taylor Swift’s name.Due to that particular moment, as well as her attitude towards her fake co-stars, a big part of the social media community saw the commercial as a jab at both Kelce and Swift, especially given their well-known relationship, which began in 2023, as well as their August 2025 engagement. Swift’s fans, commonly called Swifties, were quick to pick up on the commercial as a jab, making various negative comments about Kayla Nicole’s involvement in the ad. While the commercial itself is meant to be funny, the timing, as well as Nicole’s history with Kelce, have ensured that it is a hot topic for debate.Part of the social media community pointed to the commercial as a sign that Kayla Nicole is still focused on her previous relationship, while others have pointed out that she had a right to be a part of the ad, as well as the fact that many celebrities utilize humor as a means of generating publicity. By the end of the night, various moments from the ad were being shared throughout social media sites like X and TikTok, as both sides of the argument had their say. Among the various comments being shared, many pointed out how the personal lives of celebrities can easily become tied to their professional lives, especially in a situation as large as the Super Bowl.Ultimately, what could have been intended as a lighthearted advertisement became another part of the cultural debate surrounding celebrity breakups and fandoms. Kayla Nicole’s inclusion in one of the largest media events of the year illustrates the manner in which even lighthearted advertising can become news for better or worse in an instant.