Haley Kalil appears to be staying positive amid her recent divorce from former NFL player Matt Kalil. On Thursday, the same day news emerged that the couple had split, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, 29, took to her Instagram Stories to share a positive affirmation. “You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life,” Kalil shared in white text over a black background.
The Split and Its Reasons
Kalil filed documents on Wednesday and cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for her split from Matt, 32, according to court records obtained by TMZ. The now-former couple originally tied the knot in July 2015 before separating in January, per the documents. They have no children together. As of Friday morning, Kalil has yet to address the divorce publicly but has been active on social media. In addition to sharing a cryptic message on her Instagram Stories, she’s also posted photos of her dog.
Haley Kalil’s Rise to Fame
The American model burst onto the scene in 2018 when she was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as a contestant in the first-ever Sports Illustrated Swim Search, alongside fellow contest winner, Camille Kostek, the girlfriend of Super Bowl champion tight end, Rob Gronkowski. Matt, meanwhile, is a former Pro Bowl offensive tackle who last played in the league in 2019 as a member of the Texans.
The Relationship Timeline
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Haley Kalil has reportedly filed for divorce from her ex-NFL star husband, Matt Kalil. According to court records obtained by TMZ, Haley, 29, filed the documents on Wednesday, listing ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for their split. The pair started dating in 2012, after Matt, now 32, joined the Minnesota Vikings. ‘You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life,’ she wrote on her Instagram Stories.
Matt Kalil’s Career and Background
Matt, who grew up in Anaheim, California, played college football at USC before joining the Vikings. The pro athlete also played for the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans before he eventually retired in 2019. Meanwhile, Haley was featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2018 after she participated in the Sports Illustrated Swim Search. As one of the two winners of the competition, alongside Camille Kostek, she modeled for the magazine again in 2019 and 2020.
Haley Kalil’s Early Life and Achievements
Prior to her career as a model, Haley, who is from Excelsior, Minnesota, started competing in pageants at age 16 and was crowned Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2010. She graduated from St. Cloud State University with a Bachelor of Science in medical biology and psychology, and a minor in chemistry. The two stars have kept their romance relatively private over the years. They hardly ever shared any photos together, but they did walk the red carpet side by side a few times during their relationship.
Life After Divorce
Haley Kalil knows a thing or two about breakups, as she and her husband Matt Kalil split in 2022. However, she knows the best things are yet to come. “If he wanted to he would … and if he isn’t, someone else will. It’s always tough when a relationship doesn’t work out… but this is the time to invest energy into your friends and family.
The right person will come into your life! And you’ll never have to convince them to stay,” the star, 31, who teamed up with clean, high-performance beauty brand, Cover FX, this Valentine’s Day for their “Hickey Magic” campaign, exclusively tells OK! when asked what her best piece of advice is after a split occurs.
Embracing New Opportunities
In the meantime, the model is killing it — from attending the Grammys and meeting Miley Cyrus to having a loyal fanbase on social media — and she’s not stopping anytime soon. “I am so thrilled and baffled at the places my life has taken me that I don’t even know what to expect anymore,” she says. “So I’m just excited to be here!” “I wish I could spill all the secrets I’ve been keeping … but that would ruin all the fun wouldn’t it. So I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned,” she adds when asked what’s next for her.
Focus on Career and Confidence
For now, the social media personality, who jokes she spent Valentine’s Day with her “billionaire boyfriend William,” is focusing on her latest endeavor, which is partnering with Cover FX for their “Hickey Magic” campaign. With the brand’s fan-favorite Total Cover Cream Foundation as the hero product, the brand’s Valentine’s Day moment uses the (somewhat) polarizing topic of hickeys to showcase the product’s next-level coverage and benefits.
Cover FX Collaboration
On February 15, there’s a spike in web searches on how to remove hickeys, and Kalil, along with Tinx, Anna Kai, Cely Vazquez, and Ella Halikas are helping everyone provide the answers they’re looking for. “I’ve always been a fan of Cover FX products particularly the Custom Enhancer Drops since day one, so when they reached out, I was excited to work with them.
I really loved the concept as it’s a common problem especially around this time of year. If you don’t own a ton of color corrector sticks, or professional makeup the average person probably struggles to cover them up,” she explains. “I love how high performance and full coverage the product is while still being skin safe.
A lot of clean beauty brands tend to have lighter coverage and the heavier coverage brands tend to cause breakouts so if you are looking for high performance and full coverage but without fear of irritation Cover FX is really the only brand that offers both.”
Advocating for Authenticity
“Cover FX is such a skin positive brand encouraging their community to show their authentic skin whether it has texture or acne or rosacea etc. which is rare for a makeup brand. They really take the position that if you want to cover up, they have products that can help you do that safely, but you should also be proud of your natural skin.
I am really inspired by that point of view and try to live by that example about being authentic and showing my authentic self. Some days I get dressed up and wear a full face of makeup and on other days I am makeup-free, so I hope I encourage my community to do the same,” she notes.
Inspiring Confidence
She concludes, “My biggest advice relating to confidence is to not compare yourself to anyone but yourself. YOU are your own biggest competition. No one is perfect and I never want young people to look at my social media and think ‘I wish I looked like her.’ I want her to look at my platform and be inspired to love herself for who she is and what she brings to this world.
I used to be the young girl looking at all my favorite models’ pages and idolizing their ‘perfect lives.’ I don’t want a page that seems flawless. I want someone to look at my page and take away that it’s okay to be a nerd or a weirdo. There is nothing that screams confident more than just being unapologetically yourself!”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Haley Kalil’s ex-husband?
Haley Kalil’s ex-husband is former NFL player Matt Kalil. They got married in July 2015 and recently divorced due to irreconcilable differences.
2. What did Haley Kalil say about her divorce?
Haley Kalil has not publicly addressed her divorce directly but shared a positive affirmation on her Instagram Stories, emphasizing the importance of fighting through tough days to earn the best days.
3. What is Haley Kalil known for?
Haley Kalil is known for her work as a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. She gained fame after participating in the Sports Illustrated Swim Search in 2018 and has since appeared in the magazine multiple times.
4. What is Matt Kalil’s professional background?
Matt Kalil is a former professional football player who played as an offensive tackle in the NFL. He played for the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, and Houston Texans before retiring in 2019.
5. What advice did Haley Kalil give about handling breakups?
Haley Kalil advises investing energy into friends and family after a breakup, believing that the right person will come into your life and you won’t have to convince them to stay. She emphasizes the importance of staying positive and looking forward to the best things yet to come.