‘Empire‘ Star Taraji P. Henson Happy To Be Dating NFL’s Kelvin Hayden

Taraji P. Henson has finally addressed the rumors linking her to former NFL cornerback Kelvin Hayden. The “Empire” actress confirmed that he and the athlete have actually been seeing each other for two years now.

Just this past Thursday, Henson set the record straight when she was interviewed on Essence’s podcast called “Yes, Girl.” When the 47-year-old actress was asked about her rumored relationship she said, “I’m very happy. Everything is coming together. I’m happy in my personal life.”

Henson reiterated her joy when she said, “I’m not the type to blast my personal business. But, you know, I think that’s important for people to know. I’m happy. I’m very very happy. I just am.” She also admitted that some people may have already gotten an idea about it for “it was all over The Shade Room anyway,” referencing a notorious gossip site.

Henson’s admission comes years after she and 34-year-old Hayden first sparked dating rumors back in December 2015. The two apparently made headlines at the time after they were photographed holding each other’s hands in Miami, according to Page Six.

Despite keeping mum on the issue since the first dating rumors surfaced, the Golden Globe winner has been dropping hints about her private relationship with Hayden by posting photos that featured the former Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts player.

The “Person of Interest” alum also gushed about finally finding real love given the nature of her career. “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 said.

“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 continued.

Meanwhile, Henson recently received an early Christmas gift from her beau which she shared on Instagram. The actress posted a photo of her new pet dog on Dec. 10, saying, “Christmas came early!!! Thank you #ZaddyBear I [love] u so much!!! y’all meet #K-Ball.”

While it wasn’t clear at the time as to who Henson was referring to in her post, some fans already jumped to the conclusion that ZaddyBear was none other than Hayden. Of course, this turned out to be true this Friday when Henson posted a snap of the same puppy and what appears to be the back of the head of the former NFL player.