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Jason Kelce Arm Wrestles Women’s Rugby Player After Becoming Team’s “Superfan”
Team USA women's rugby player Ilona Maher negotiated a deal with the former NFL player, who mingled with the team after their win against Japan.
The Paris Olympics gathers athletes from all over the world, past and present, creating a vibrant and diverse celebration of global sportsmanship. While attending the 2024 Summer Games, NFL star Jason Kelce made a stop at the locker room of the victorious Team USA women's rugby team.
Ilona Maher, a popular figure on social media and a women's rugby player, presented a convincing case for Kelce to become a devoted supporter of the USA women's rugby team. In the viral video, Maher talked about Kelce's strong commitment to being a father to his three daughters, and also mentioned Flavor Flav's passionate support for women's water polo.
Maher subtly expressed her desire for Kelce to become an avid fan of women's rugby.
"Do you get anything from being our superfan?" Kelce questioned, to which Maher jokingly replied, "No. There's no reward, money, or benefits; I don't think I can get you free stuff."
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Kelce caressed his goatee, appearing to be profoundly contemplating the request before declaring, "I am officially a fan of women's rugby, Olympics." The statement was met with cheers from the room, with Maher excitedly announcing, "We got Jason Kelce!" further energizing the team.
Kelce arm-wrestled Team USA rugby player Nicole Heavirland
Amidst this global celebration, Kelce faced off in an arm-wrestling match against Team USA rugby player Nicole Heavirland.
Heavirland, 29, shared the video on Instagram, showing her teammates cheering her on to victory against the 36-year-old Kelce. Heavirland really tested Kelce's strength, making his wife, Kylie Kelce, joke in the background, "I tried to warn you!"
The Olympian was ultimately beaten by Kelce, who then hugged Heavirland. It's all love here!
In the video of the arm-wrestling match, shared by Team USA's official Instagram account, showed Kelce sporting American flag shorts and a navy beret, embracing the patriotic spirit while attending multiple Olympic events with Kylie.
After their match, Kelce used social media to defend his win. "Grabbing something with your off-hand is not against any rules according to the guidelines set forth by the IFAW (International Federation of Arm Wrestling)," Kelce wrote on his platform.
Kelce's win sparked a wave of internet comments from fans, with even Kelce's podcast, New Heights — hosted by Jason and his brother Travis — chiming in. The podcast's account responded to the video, stating, "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying."
Maher Discusses Her Social Media Presence
Since competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Maher has amassed 1.5 million followers on her Instagram account, which she hopes to use to bring attention to the sport. "I’m a female athlete in a sport that’s not very big, especially in America. It’s not a money-making sport …. I want to make sports a career and I don’t think many women can think that way," she recently said, according to The Guardian.
The athlete also hopes that viewers of her videos see that "all body types matter," regardless of their shape and size. As she put it in a video taken during the Opening Ceremony, "All body types are worthy. From the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player to a shot-putter, a sprinter. All body types are beautiful, can do amazing things. Truly see yourself in these athletes and know that you can do it too."
