Travis Kelce’s previous relationships are now under scrutiny by the media in light of his newfound romance with Taylor Swift, which has captivated the world’s attention.
Prior to pursuing Taylor Swift’s affections, the Kansas City Chiefs football star was navigating the dating scene (a pun quite fitting for the field) with women from across the United States on the E! reality series, which made its debut in 2016.
These women competed on the reality show in hopes of winning his heart, and ultimately, Kelce chose Maya Benberry.
They enjoyed a romantic relationship for several months afterward.
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In the years that followed, both Kelce and Benberry have shared their thoughts on their time together on the show. The football player has described the experience as “extremely awkward,” expressing that he “didn’t have much to say about what we were doing on the show.”
It was definitely a learning experience,” Kelce said during an episode of The Pivot Podcast.
In her official biography for “Catching Kelce,” Benberry mentioned her Kentucky roots.
During her time at the University of Kentucky, she pursued a degree in elementary education.
Born on December 27, 1991, Benberry is a Capricorn, making her two years younger than Kelce, whose birthdate is October 5, 1989.
After capturing Kelce’s heart on the dating show, she and the football player enjoyed a few months of dating in 2016 before deciding to part ways. (Following their breakup, Kelce entered a relationship with Kayla Nicole in 2017, and they had an on-again, off-again relationship for five years.)
Leading up to the show’s finale, Kelce spoke about the winner (without explicitly naming Benberry) in an interview with E! News, describing her as an “absolutely wonderful girl … I wouldn’t have chosen her if I didn’t have strong feelings for her.”
However, he also made it clear that he wasn’t in any rush to become engaged or get married.
“I have always been the ‘just let it roll’ [kind of guy] and take advantage of the opportunities when they come about. I’ve always been a very success-driven person too, so I’m very focused on trying to get my career somewhere,” he said. “That and I’m still getting to know her — and to be honest marriage is a huge step, that it takes a while to get to know you’re ready for.”
Later in the same year, Benberry opened up about her post-show relationship with Kelce during a December 2016 Q&A session on her YouTube channel. Alongside discussing the trials of participating in a reality show, she shared that her relationship with Kelce marked her first experience with an interracial relationship, a journey that presented its unique set of challenges.
“It definitely was difficult,” she explained. “Just because I wanted to enjoy my relationship and a lot of people saw color … I would think that people would respect me and all my flaws but instead, I got picked on by it. So of anything, that was the most difficult thing.”
Following her appearance on “Catching Kelce” in 2016, Benberry continued her reality TV journey by participating in the second season of MTV’s reality show “Ex on the Beach” in 2018. This show, hosted by rapper Romeo Miller, brings together reality stars who must confront their past relationships.
According to her Instagram bio, Benberry has ventured into the role of a life coach, providing sessions under her brand “Moments with Maya Benberry.” Additionally, she identifies herself as a marketing and brand consultant affiliated with MXM Marketing Agency.
Check out more of Kelce’s now infamous ex below:
