Jan 7, 2018; Beverly Hills, CA, USA; Zac Efron presents during the 75th Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton. Mandatory Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC Handout via USA TODAY NETWORK USA TODAY NETWORK

Actor Icon Zac Efron at Patriots' Divisional Round

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jennifer Streeter | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 6:00 PM ET

Going into the Divisional Round matchup against a daunting defense of the Houston Texans, the New England Patriots knew that they had to get their heads in the game.

With just over five minutes left in the third quarter, the Texans and Patriots had delivered a turnover-filled postseason game in pursuit of Super Bowl LX (eight turnovers at the time).

Plenty of high-profile people were in attendance to see the Houston versus New England matchup, due to how much hype had been present leading up to Jan. 18. And the hype was well worth it, with the Patriots eliminating the Texans from the playoff race due to a 28-16 win in front of a packed Gillette Stadium.

New England — which ended the first half up 21-10 over the Texans — now has a 12-4 record all-time against Houston, including a 3-0 mark in the postseason.

The Patriots fanbase entered the matchup with both excitement and apprehension, due to the previously mentioned skill possessed by the Houston defense.

Zac Efron Showcases Boston Roots With Patriots' Support

Actor and superstar Zac Efron — famously known for his High School Musical days and more — was in attendance for the Patriots' Divisional Round.

Hey @ZacEfron pic.twitter.com/w3yq5qwwaI
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 18, 2026

Efron is known for starring in other iconic films such as The Iron Claw, 17 Again, Charlie St. Cloud and more. He was present at Gillette Stadium and saw the Texans fall to a 3-0 postseason record against New England.

While the actor is known to be a California native, regular NBA game attendee and fan of the New Orleans Saints, not as well known are his ties to Boston.

Efton's brother Dylan, who recently appeared on the latest season of Dancing With The Stars, is a frequent runner of the Boston Marathon. In 2018, Zac was there to support him at the finish line. Clearly, the city left a good enough impression on Zac for him to return for the Patriots' 2026 Divisional Round game.

The 12-point win over Houston means the Patriots have now advanced to the AFC Championship. The most recent time the Pats appeared in the Conference Championship was back in 2018, which eventually saw them hoist the Super Bowl LIII trophy. New England is currently under the charge of head coach Mike Vrabel, who has helped catapult the franchise back to their dynasty era.

The Patriots (16-3) now turn their attention to facing off against the Denver Broncos (15-3), which will be without quarterback Bo Nix due to injury, on Jan. 25.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: