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USA Rugby star Ilona Maher has seen her popularity explode in recent days thanks to her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. One of her biggest new fans is former Philadelphia Eagles star offensive lineman Jason Kelce.
The recently retired Kelce has been supporting Team USA everywhere at the Summer Olympics, and recently told Ilona Maher that he would be the newest USA Rugby super fan.
“I am officially a fan,” Jason Kelce told Ilona Maher on Instagram.
Jason Kelce then showed off his fandom on Tuesday as Ilona Maher and USA Rugby won a bronze medal in a stunning win over Australia. Jason Kelce arrived for the action in a shirt with Maher’s face on it. You can check it out below:
Jason’s Olympic fits just get better and better @ilona_maher pic.twitter.com/Qd6xHpZ402
— New Heights (@newheightshow) July 30, 2024
Team USA was a heavy underdog against Australia but came out on top in the bronze medal game as Spiff Sedrick would not be denied.
The United States trailed 12-7 with seconds remaining, before Sedrick erupted through the defense and raced nearly the length of the field for a try. The ensuing successful kick lifted the United States to a 14-12 victory over Australia.
This bronze medal is the first medal in the history of United States Women’s Rugby at the Olympic Games.
More on Ilona Maher, Team USA Rugby
Ilona Maher made headlines going into the Games with her openness about her physique.
Not only can she run fast, she hits like a Mack truck. So when people on social media comment on her appearance, when it comes to height and weight, Maher decided to give some perspective.
Responding in a video to a comment that said she had a body mass index of 30%, Maher took it in stride.
“Hi, thank you for this comment, I think you were trying to roast me, but this is actually a fact,” Maher said. “I do have a BMI of 30, well, 29.3 to be more exact. I’ve been considered overweight my whole life. In middle school, in high school, I was always considered overweight.
“I remember vividly one time in high school, I (turned in a) physical to the office, and right at the bottom of the page, it said overweight. And I was so embarrassed to turn that in and to have that written there. So my whole life, I’ve been this way.”
Maher had one of the highlights of the Olympics when she ran through a defender on her way to a try last week. Her popularity has exploded, and she now has more than 1.8 million followers on Instagram. That includes former NFL star Jason Kelce.
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Another Cowboys star could hold out amid Micah Parsons' contract drama
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Green Bay Packers: Slo-Mo Video Shows Javon Bullard’s Nasty Work in Colts Practice
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Chloe Kim Pays Boyfriend Myles Garrett a Visit At Cleveland Browns Practice
Well, well, well. It seems like 2025 is turning into the year where Olympic champions and NFL stars are crossing paths more than a confused GPS. First, we had NFL owners giving the green light for players to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Then Michael Phelps decided to play swimming instructor to the Baltimore Ravens. Now, Olympic snowboarding sensation Chloe Kim has joined this bizarre sports crossover trend by showing up to watch her boyfriend, Cleveland Browns Defensive End Myles Garrett, practice. Kim Makes Her Browns Debut At Joint Practice The two-time Olympic gold medalist made quite the entrance at the Browns-Eagles joint training camp practice on Thursday. And naturally, because this is 2025 and nothing happens without social media documentation. She recorded the whole experience on her Instagram story. First up was a snapshot of Noah the Eagle, Philadelphia’s “animal ambassador.” Then came the real content. A video of Garrett warming up with his Cleveland teammates. 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Kim’s presence at Browns practice adds another layer to what’s already shaping up to be a fascinating NFL season for Cleveland. Garrett, entering his ninth year in the league, remains the cornerstone of the Browns’ defense and the face of the franchise. The former top overall pick has never played for anyone else, which in today’s NFL is about as rare as finding a parking spot at the mall during Christmas shopping season. Garrett’s Expensive Need For Speed Speaking of Garrett making headlines, the defensive superstar managed to grab attention for all the wrong reasons just last week. The man got himself cited for speeding. We are not talking about a measly five-over-the-limit situation. No, Garrett was clocked doing 100 mph in a 60 mph zone at 2 a.m. on a Saturday. This wasn’t Garrett’s first rodeo with the speed limit police. This latest ticket marks his eighth speeding violation since being drafted in 2017. At this point, the Ohio State Highway Patrol probably has a dedicated file cabinet just for his citations. Maybe Kim can teach him about the importance of maintaining control and staying within boundaries. Skills that seem pretty transferable from snowboarding to driving. The Olympics-NFL Connection Grows Stronger Kim’s appearance at Browns practice is just the latest example of how the worlds of Olympic competition and professional football are becoming increasingly intertwined. The NFL’s decision to allow players to participate in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for crossover appeal. It is almost poetic. Here we have Kim, who’s spent years perfecting her craft on snow-covered mountains around the world, now watching her boyfriend perfect his craft on the considerably more mundane grass fields of Ohio. Both involve incredible athletic ability, split-second decision-making, and the kind of dedication that most of us can barely muster for our morning coffee routine. What This Means For Both Athletes For Kim, showing up to support Garrett demonstrates the kind of relationship goals that make the rest of us feel slightly inadequate. She is not just dating an NFL player; she is actively engaging with his world while maintaining her own incredible career trajectory. It is the kind of mutual support system that probably makes their relationship stronger than most Hollywood power couples who can barely remember each other’s names. For Garrett, having a two-time Olympic champion in his corner adds a unique dynamic to his already impressive support system. She understands the pressure of performing on the world’s biggest stages, the mental fortitude required to compete at the highest level, and the dedication necessary to maintain peak performance. Her insights could prove invaluable as the star NFL player continues his pursuit of that elusive Super Bowl championship with Cleveland. The sight of Kim at Browns practice also sends a message to the rest of the NFL: this couple isn’t playing around. They are both serious competitors who understand what it takes to win at the highest levels of their respective sports. Whether that translates to on-field success for the Browns remains to be seen, but it certainly does not hurt to have Olympic-level support in your corner.
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