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Taraji P. Henson Confirms She’s Been Dating Former NFL Star Kelvin Hayden for Two Years

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NFL player Kelvin Hayden and Taraji P. Henson attend Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California.Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Mystery solved! Taraji P. Henson confirmed she has been dating former NFL cornerback Kelvin Hayden for the past two years.

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“I’m very happy. Everything is coming together,” the Empire star, 47, told Essence’s podcast “Yes, Girl” on Thursday, December 14. “I’m happy in my personal life.”

“Finally! It has happened to me,” Henson sang, quoting CeCe Peinston’s song “Finally.”

The Hidden Figures actress has been rumored to be dating Hayden, who last played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears in 2014, for the past two years.

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“It was all over The Shade Room anyway,” Henson explained, referring to pictures posted to Instagram by the media outlet. “You know, I’m not the type to blast my personal business, but you know, I think that it’s important for people to know that I’m happy. I’m very very happy. I just am. We’ve been together for two years. And no one would really know that because I don’t blast my info like that but I’m very happy.”

“I don’t really put a lot on what I do because, you know, people love you when you’re in the limelight. But what happens when the lights go off?” she continued. “So, those people care about me no matter what, and those are the people I keep close to me. So, I never buy into the hype. They love you when you hot, and they love you when you not, you know? So, I never buy into that fake love. I got so much real love around me that I’m not confused.”

Henson also revealed that Hayden, 34, is the one who gifted her a puppy as an early Christmas present.

“Christmas came early!!! Thank you #ZaddyBear I ❤️u so much!!! y’all” Henson wrote on Sunday, December 10 via Instagram. “Meet #K-Ball!!! Thank you @pitfallkennels_lilbrotha @therealbigboi he is going to get soooooooooo much love!!! 💋💋💋.”

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The Proud Mary actress shared another photo of her new puppy with the back of Hayden’s head on Thursday.

Big #KBall with Lil squirt #KBall watching daddy brush his teeth! 😩😂😂😂

A post shared by taraji p henson (@tarajiphenson) on

“Big #KBall with Lil squirt #KBall watching daddy brush his teeth! 😩😂😂😂,” she wrote.

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