Philadelphia Eagles safety CJ Gardner-Johnson is facing backlash after making a controversial remark about Travis Kelce's personal life following the Eagles' dominant win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
The 27-year-old player took to Instagram to poke fun at Kelce's past relationship with Kayla Nicole, implying that Kelce's breakup with the social media influencer contributed to the Chiefs' loss.
According to PageSix, Gardner-Johnson's post featured an in-game photo of him and Kelce, accompanied by the caption, "Should've stayed w that thick s****."
He later reposted a picture of Nicole in a bikini, further fueling speculation that his jab was aimed at Kelce's new relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.
The post was quickly deleted after receiving widespread criticism for body-shaming Swift.
Not gonna lie kayla Nicole is so miserable😭 like just looking at what happened last year regarding her being involved with his new relationship and her coming out multiple times talking about it why the fxck would you wanna be anywhere near your ex and his new girlfriend👩🏾🦯 pic.twitter.com/VERdHidPZZ
— draco🥰 (@bigdracolena) February 10, 2025
Nicole, who had dated Kelce for five years before their breakup in 2022, seemed to join in the playful trolling after the Eagles' victory.
She shared a video celebrating the win, chanting the Eagles' fight song and joking about joining the "bandwagon." Nicole, who was seen supporting the Eagles during the Super Bowl, later posed with confetti on the field, captioning the image, "They said there's room on the wagon y'all."
Kelce, who had been dating Swift since July 2023, had a quiet performance during the game, catching just four passes for 39 yards, Brobible said.
His lackluster stats didn't dampen his spirits, though, as he spoke to reporters about the team's struggles. "You don't lose like that without everything going bad," he said, visibly disappointed by the Chiefs' defeat.
Despite Kelce's underwhelming performance, he made history with his Super Bowl numbers, surpassing Jerry Rice for the most career receptions in Super Bowl history.
However, the game was largely overshadowed by the drama surrounding his ex-girlfriend's social media antics and Gardner-Johnson's comment.
The Eagles' defense had a standout performance, shutting down the Chiefs' offense and securing a 40-22 victory.
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