Patrick Mahomes was kept out of the Kansas City Chiefs regular season finale against the Denver Broncos. 

Mahomes, 29, did not play in the Sunday, January 5, game after the Chiefs secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs after their 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. 

With the game rendered meaningless from a standings perspective, the Chiefs decided not to risk having their superstar starting quarterback take any snaps. 

In his place, veteran backup Carson Wentz started the game at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High. 

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“I’ve been through that before, so I’m not too worried about all that,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters on Wednesday, January 1 about sitting Mahomes. “It gives the other guys an opportunity here to grow and you can use everybody.”

Reid, 66, added, “The primary thing is to make sure that we stay sharp in all areas through this game and for the upcoming weeks … We want to stay sharp mentally and physically and then that’s our responsibility to do that and how we manage the time. I make sure I do that practice-wise and the guys go out, players and coaches, and work on that.”

Wentz, 32,  only attempted two passes this season as Mahomes’ backup, but said he was ready to meet the moment. 

“I’m going to prepare to go out there and win and then have a good performance with this offense,” Wentz told reporters on Wednesday. 

He continued, “I think it would be tremendous just getting reps. Obviously preseason is helpful, but that was even limited and seems like another lifetime ago already. This will definitely be helpful if needed in whatever capacity down the stretch there in the playoffs. But quite frankly, I’m just excited to get out there and play ball.”

The break also provides Mahomes the opportunity to continue healing an ankle injury he sustained in the Chiefs’ December 15 game against the Cleveland Browns. 

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Mahomes left the game in the fourth quarter after being dragged down from behind by Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson while simultaneously being hit high by Browns defensive tackle Mike Hall. 

He was later seen being transported on a golf cart inside Cleveland’s Huntington Bank Field and was initially questionable for the Chiefs game against the Houston Texans on December 21. 

Mahomes would ultimately start that game and throw for 260 yards, scoring both a passing and rushing touchdown in the 27-19 victory. 

The Chiefs will open their quest for a historic third consecutive Super Bowl when the NFL Divisional Playoffs begin on January 18. 

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard and his girlfriend, Molly Walding, have a love story almost a decade in the making. 

Leonard, 22, and Walding have been in each other’s lives since they both attended Fairhope Middle School in Fairhope, Alabama. 

Since then, the couple has experienced it all — from high school dances and birthday celebrations to long-distance love in college and Notre Dame’s run to the College Football Playoff. 

For a full timeline of Leonard and Walding’s relationship, keep reading. 

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September 2016

Walding posted a photo via Instagram of the pair together to celebrate Leonard’s birthday while the two were in middle school in Alabama.

Leonard had his hand on Walding’s shoulder as she beamed for the camera, still with a mouthful of braces. 

October 2017

The pair attended their first high school dance together as students at Fairthorpe High School in Fairthorpe, Alabama. 

“what a nighttttt★ ,” Walding captioned a trio of photos via Instagram from the big evening. 

June 2019

Leonard and Walding celebrated their one-and-a-half year dating anniversary at the Bluegill Restaurant in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

“a year & a 1/2 of nothing but smiles!!!!,” Walding captioned a photo via Instagram of the pair smiling on a dock outside the restaurant.

December 2019

The couple’s two-year anniversary was also cause for celebration. Walding posted a photo of the pair via Instagram standing in front of a Christmas tree. 

“Been dating my biggest crush for 2 years now ,” she wrote.

Leonard commented on the picture, writing, “Dang u look good.”

December 2020

Leonard and Walding’s third anniversary came with a bit of trepidation. 

“Happy 3!!!! Like if you think we can make it 4 more being 500 miles apart,” Walding wrote alongside a picture of the duo via Instagram.

The post came in anticipation of Leonard heading to play football at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and Walking on her way to Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. 

April 2022

The duo, of course, found a way to make it work as evidenced by Walding’s picture from Duke’s spring game ahead of his second season at Duke. 

“I’m a big fan of ya!!!!!!” Walding wrote via Instagram. 

December 2023

Days after Leonard announced he was transferring to Notre Dame, Walding said she was excited to celebrate the couple’s sixth anniversary together. 

“See you tomorrow!!!!!!!! Eeeek,” she wrote via Instagram.

Leonard also shared an anniversary post on the same day. “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Happy 6 years,” he said via Instagram. 

November 2024

Walding traveled to South Bend, Indiana to celebrate Notre Dame’s Senior Day and a win over Virginia in the team’s regular season home finale. 

“Shoutout to @riley.jleonard for giving us something to look forward to every weekend!!!!! Still rooting for #13 ,” she shared via Instagram alongside a carousel of photos from the field at Notre Dame Stadium. 

January 2024

Walding was on hand in New Orleans as Leonard helped lead Notre Dame over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, earning the school a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. 

“What an adventure it has been!” she wrote via her Instagram Story. 

Polish ski jumper Andrzej Stękała came out as gay following the death of his longtime partner, Damian. 

Stękała, 29 — a member of the Polish national team and bronze medalist at the 2020 Ski Flying World Championships —  shared a slideshow of photos and videos via Instagram from the duration of their relationship alongside his heartfelt message. 

“I want you all to know the real me. I am gay,” Stękała wrote in the Wednesday, January 1 post. “For years I’ve hidden this from the world — from you, from the media, and sometimes even from myself.”

He continued, “In 2016, I met the person who changed my life. He’s been my rock, my support, my biggest supporter. Together we shared life, passions, joys and difficult moments. He was my everything, my home, my heart. We loved in silence, hiding our love from the world to protect what was most important to us.”

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Stękała revealed that Damian died in November, but did not disclose a cause of death. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Andrzej Stękała (@andrzejstekala)

“I can’t describe the pain I’ve felt,” he wrote. “The world we built together fell into pieces. Everyday without him is a struggle, but also a reminder of how endlessly I loved and how deeply I was loved.”

With the turning of the calendar, Stękała vowed to enter “a new chapter.”

“I don’t want to hide who I am anymore,” he shared. “I am myself — a man who loved and still loves. And I know that he would want me to continue living in peace with myself.”

Stękała added, “Please understand and respect. My story is a tale of love that deserves light, not shadow.”

The athlete thanked his support system of “family and friends” for giving him “the courage to open up.”

The post concluded, “For the rest of my days, I will carry his name in my heart.”

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Many of Stękała’s friends and members of the skiing community left their supportive comments on his post. 

“Stay strong Andrzej heartbreaking to read about your loss,” Norwegian world champion Halvor Egner Granerud wrote. “Hope your brave 2025 will be a good year for you, filled with the freedom of not hiding who you are. All the best wishes .”

Sondre Ringen, a Norwegian ski jumper, wrote, “You’re brave and strong Andrzej Wish you all the best amongst this tragic loss.”

“A beautiful, albeit heartbreaking, story about just love,” journalist Krzysztof Jankowski Jankes commented. “Thank you for opening up to us.”

Kelly Stafford vulnerably acknowledged the negative toll social media has recently taken on her mental health.

Stafford, 34, made the candid admission while discussing New Year’s resolutions on the Thursday, January 2 episode of her podcast “The Morning After.”

“I want to get off social media so bad. I don’t want to be on it anymore. It’s honestly giving me depressing thoughts,” Kelly said, while audibly fighting back tears. “But in the work that we are in, that’s not really an option.”

Stafford, the wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, explained being active on social media is crucial to the success of her podcast, but she said comments about her appearance have forced her to seriously weigh the pros and cons. 

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“I’m human,” Kelly noted. “I post something about a game or something and either I need to wear more makeup or now I am looking like I had plastic surgery because I actually had time to do my makeup and I did it because I felt like I needed to.”

Kelly joked, “ I’ll be the first one to tell you when I get a facelift and I’ll tell you where the doctor I go to is.”

“I’m old,” she added. “This should not be happening. It is very, very scary to raise four girls in a world where opinions of people you’ve never met matter to you.”

Kelly and Matthew, who got married in 2015, share four daughters: twins Sawyer and Chandler, 7, Hunter, 6, and Tyler, 4. 

“I’m not going to tell people that I’m going to have tougher skin, because I’m not,” Kelly said. “I’m a woman in my 30s and I have feelings. But I am going to try and do a better job of remembering that clearly people who are commenting certain things are unhappy with situations in their own life.”

Kelly admitted bluntly, “If people are setting out to hurt me with comments, congratulations. You have done it.”

Furthermore, Kelly explained how her husband has begun noticing the negative impact social media is having on her well-being.

“This has been a back-and-forth with Matthew, too, because he can see it,” she said. “I put down the phone, he knows immediately. ‘What did someone say?’ That’s a problem because I’m carrying it way past just putting my phone down. It is in my mind, it is in my heart. I am trying to do my best to fix that.”

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Kelly issued a plea to any podcast listeners who might be the ones responsible for the vitriolic attacks being spewn online. 

“I do want to make it aware that if you’re listening to this and you’re a person … God, I’m sorry,” she said as her voice began to crack. “And you’re one of those people that comments horrible things on anyone’s Instagrams, just stop. It’s hurtful. You never know what something you could say could do to someone. So just stop.”

Ultimately, Kelly said her resolution for the year is “to every day remind myself that the people who matter, those are the opinions that matter to me.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl victory celebration over Georgia was a family affair for Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman. 

After Notre Dame defeated Georgia 23-10 on Thursday, January 2 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Freeman, 38, posed with his wife, Joanna, and their six children on the field as confetti fell around them and the university’s band played jubilantly in the background. 

Marcus and Joanna got married in 2010 after meeting during their time at The Ohio State University. Together, they share six children: son Vinny, 17, daughter Siena, 12, son Gino, 11, son Nico, 9, daughter Capri, 7, and son Rocco, 6.

With Notre Dame’s victory, the team advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they will face Penn State on Thursday, January 9. The winner of that game will then face the winner of Ohio State/Texas in the National Championship Game on January 20. 

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Joanna and the kids have been by Marcus’ side throughout his tenure at Notre Dame, dating back to his introductory press conference in 2021. 

Shortly after his hiring, Joanna candidly admitted that their relationship hasn’t exactly been the stuff of fairy tales.

Marcus Freeman celebrating the win with his family pic.twitter.com/4Q5JQFiUqv

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 3, 2025

“We don’t have a super romantic love story,” Joanna told Yahoo Sports in 2021. “We had a lot of breakups and make-ups. We fell hard. We fell fast. We were really young when we met, and in a lot of ways, we really grew and matured into adults together.”

After Thursday’s game, Freeman was asked about the historical significance of the victory. Prior to this season, a Black coach had never coached a game in the College Football Playoff. Along with Penn State head coach James Franklin, there are two Black coaches in this year’s semifinals. 

“You’re very grateful,” Freeman said. “It’s a reminder that you are a representation for many others and many of our players that look the same way I do. Your color shouldn’t matter. The evidence of your work should.”

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He continued, “But it takes everybody. That’s what I continue to remind myself. When people will try to point the finger at you, it’s a great reminder [that] you’re not in this position without everybody, without all these guys. And that’s what I told them in the locker room.”

Freeman explained that he felt awkward at the postgame trophy ceremony, insisting that the spotlight shouldn’t be shone on him alone. 

“I couldn’t get off that stage fast enough because everybody couldn’t be up there,” he told reporters. “It’s about the team. It’s about everybody who puts everything they have into making sure that we can achieve that success.”

Freeman added, “So, it’s a great honor. It’s a privilege. But again, as the head coach of this place, I understand we’re not in this position unless everybody in this program gets their job done.”

© Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Sloane Stephens has read all of the comments calling on her to retire — but don’t expect her to listen. 

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the tennis star, 31, explained how she’s learned to let social media criticism roll off her back more than 15 years into her professional career. 

“People don’t have any filter,” said Stephens, who spoke to Us via her partnership with Daily Harvest. “They also don’t realize that you’re another human being. They would never say it to your face. It actually prohibits people from putting their lives out there because they don’t want to be judged.”

Stephens added, “It’s all about what the athlete can handle, right? ‘You should retire?’ I’m like, ‘If these people are still paying me, I’m not going.’ I think people don’t realize, if someone was paying you a lot of money, you wouldn’t quit your job. You wouldn’t leave your job.”

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Ultimately, Stephens explained she’s in her “phase of I don’t give a s—.”

“As an athlete, you have such tough skin in general,” the 2017 US Open champion said. “For the bettors and the people who are literally like, ‘You should have won, you f—ing bitch.’ So when people comment on my post like, ‘Why are you posting this?’ It’s my page. Get the f— off.”

While Stephens boasts well-worn armor, she acknowledged how “younger athletes haven’t experienced it.”

“I’m like, ‘Oh, whatever,’” she said of her social media mindset. “If I post and you don’t like it, just follow somebody else. Unfollow me. Block me. Do whatever you need to do. If you feel secure in your world and in your life and in your tennis or whatever it is, you don’t react as much to things other people are saying.”

As for her physical health, Stephens — who still spends 40 weeks a year on the road — gushed about how her partnership with Daily Harvest came about, ironically, quite organically. 

“During COVID is when I first started using Daily Harvest because we were all trying to figure out how to get healthy options,” she explained. “I couldn’t go out and I wasn’t cooking. Throughout my career, I’ve always had little bits and stints where I’ve been someplace for a month. I’ve always loved using meal prep options because it’s just easier for me.”

Now, Daily Harvest has unveiled a line of protein-packed smoothies in flavors Vanilla Bean, Dark Chocolate and Mixed Berry. 

Daily Harvest has also collaborated with Doc & Glo, Stephens’ body care company, to highlight both brands’ commitment to supporting active lifestyles and overall well-being.

“When they came out with a smoothie, I knew that had me written all over it,” she said. “It’s so easy, so simple. It just fits. It’s genuine.”

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton has been waiting a lifetime for this moment. 

Gunner was elevated to the role of starting quarterback for the University of Georgia after quarterback Carson Beck suffered an elbow injury during the SEC Championship Game against Texas on December 7. Beck underwent season-ending surgery and has since declared himself for the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Born in Tiger, Georgia, roughly 75 miles from University of Georgia’s campus in Athens, Gunner grew up a massive fan of the Bulldogs. A son of two collegiate athletes — his father, Rob, played football at Georgia Southern and his mom, Sherri, played basketball at Erskine College — he has athletics in his blood. 

“The number one thing for Gunner is he’s known our community, and especially our family, his friends, and those people closest to him, believe in him,” Rob told UGASports in a story published on Sunday, December 29. “We’ve always loved him and want the best for him. This is something that he’s worked for [and] something he’s dreamed of.”

Rob added, “You look at pictures of your kid, and they’re throwing the ball in your backyard and dreaming of being the starting quarterback at the University of Georgia. It has happened. It is unreal.”

For more about Gunner’s story, keep reading. 

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Gunner’s great-grandfather, V.D. Stockton, served in World War II. A newspaper at the time referred to him as “Gunner Stockton.”

According to The Athletic, Gunner’s parents liked the nickname so much that they decided to give it to their son. 

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In October 2010, Gunner’s grandfather, Lawrence Stockton, died shortly after leaving Georgia’s 34-31 overtime loss to the Florida Gators at Jacksonville’s EverBank Field.

According to ESPN, Lawrence walked back to a tailgating area after the game and collapsed and died from a heart attack. He was 63 years old. 

Gunner Stockton is Close With His Older Sister

Gunner shares a close bond with his oldest sister, Georgia, his only sibling. 

The duo shared a cute moment when Georgia was dropped off at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina in the summer of 2019.

“PC officially has a baller on campus,” Gunner shared via Instagram. “I know it’s gonna be hard for you not seeing me everyday but hopefully it won’t be too hard for ya . You are the best. Love you more than you know ”

In 2021, Gunner and Georgia took in a Bulldogs game from the sidelines of Sanford Stadium. 

“Pretty good way to end the week,” Gunner shared via Instagram alongside a picture of him and his sister.

Gunner, Georgia and the rest of their extended family spent the holidays together in 2024, just days before the Bulldogs’ game against Notre Dame in the 2025 Sugar Bowl, as evidenced by a series of photos shared by Georgia via Instagram. 

Gunner Stockton Originally Committed to South Carolina

Gunner originally committed to play quarterback at SEC rival South Carolina. However, he announced his decommitment in January 2021. 

“After much discussion and prayer with my family, I have decided to decommit from The University of South Carolina,” Gunner said in a statement at the time. “Back in August, I made the decision to commit to the University, program, and staff. A lot has changed since that time, and I feel that I should reevaluate my situation.”

Gunner’s decision came on the heels of Will Muschamp, the head coach to which Gunner committed, being fired. 

The quarterback announced his commitment to the University of Georgia later that month. 

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If you see a 1984 Ford F-150 driving around Georgia’s campus, that’s just the team’s starting quarterback. 

“It was literally broke down, parked up at their house and wouldn’t crank,” his father, Rob, told the Athens Banner-Herald in a story published on Friday, December 27. “He wanted to get it running, so me and him tinkered with it.”

According to the outlet, Rob helps run an automotive dealership that’s been in the family since 1956.

The truck has no air conditioning and more than 300,000 miles on the odometer. 

“I would say he’s going to continue driving that old truck no matter what kind of opportunities knock for him,” Rob said.

© Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey suffered such a gruesome leg injury on Wednesday, January 1 that his teammates made sure to hide it from the fans in attendance. 

In the fourth quarter of the Pistons game against the Orlando Magic at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, the left leg of Ivey, 22, got trapped underneath the Magic’s Cole Anthony while both players were chasing a loose ball. 

Ivey was immediately in absolute anguish on the floor as he was attended to by the Pistons’ medical staff. Eventually, one of Ivey’s teammates grabbed a towel from the bench to cover up his leg and the rest of the team made a circle around him. 

A stretcher was used to transport Ivey off the court as the arena watched on with hushed silence. Ivey’s teammate, Ausar Thompson, was seen wiping tears away. 

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Sources told ESPN on Thursday, January 2 that Ivey had suffered a broken fibula in his left leg and would likely miss the remainder of the season. 

“It’s tough. It’s tough on all of us,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “No better teammate, person than J.I. No one who cares more about this thing than him. It’s tough to see.” 

Bickerstaff, 45, added, “At the heart of this team, and what we’ve tried to preach all year since we’ve been here is togetherness. If one guy goes down, you don’t want to let that guy down, so everybody else has to step up. Again, it’s the emotions, it’s the human aspect of it, but I thought our guys did a really good job of just sticking together and getting it done.”

Pistons star Cade Cunningham said Ivey’s injury was “tough on the whole group.”

“To see him hurting like that is tough on us,” Cunningham, 23, told reporters. “He’s built for it, he’s going to shake back knowing him. He’s going to work his tail off and he’s going to be better than ever when he gets back. It’s hard to see that, for sure.”

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After the injury occurred, Cunningham explained he gathered the team for “a prayer.”

“Just wanted to collect ourselves and talk about it and make sure everybody was on the same page about what we had to do from that point on,” Cunningham said. 

Ivey, who was selected by the Pistons with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, had been averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

The Pistons return to action on Friday, January 3 against the Charlotte Hornets. 

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard sealed his team’s blowout win in the Rose Bowl with a kiss. 

After Howard, 23, and the Buckeyes dominated the Oregon Ducks 41-21 on Wednesday, January 1, the quarterback made his way over to his girlfriend, Lauren Leiker, for a smooch. 

Howard flipped his brand new Rose Bowl Champions hat backwards and leaned in for the kiss, which was captured by ESPN social media. The move was complimented by Kelly Stafford, wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who wrote via her Instagram Story: “Have always said it…Backwards hat = easy access ”

While Howard mostly keeps his personal life close to the vest, he posted a picture with Leiker via Instagram in April 2023. At the time of the post, Howard was still the quarterback at Kansas State. 

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Howard transferred to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season, where he has helped lead the Buckeyes to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. Ohio State will play Texas in the 2025 Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10 with a trip to the National Championship Game on the line. 

Outside of the kiss with his girlfriend, the post-game celebration came with a side of awkwardness for Howard. 

Despite being the team’s starting quarterback, Rose Bowl officials denied Howard entrance to the stage for the trophy presentation. 

 

In a clip that circulated on social media, Howard could be seen asking an official for permission to join his teammates for the postgame gathering. 

“That’s the starting quarterback!” Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams pleaded. 

Howard seemingly had a good sense of humor about the entire ordeal, laughing as he told people nearby, “They’re blocking me!”

“Guys, there’s a weight limit apparently,” Howard said. He added, “They’re literally blocking me out.”

Howard eventually was able to make his way to the stage, where he tossed out celebratory roses to commemorate the big win. 

“We came out and played angry and I think it showed,” Howard told reporters after the game. “We jumped out to an early lead and it was hard for them to come back.”

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Howard continued, “We knew they were going to come back and do something, they’re too good of a team to not score any points. We knew they were going to mount some sort of a comeback. It wasn’t going to be perfect so we just had to weather the storm and make sure that we won the game when it counted.”

The quarterback threw for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win, a revenge victory for the Buckeyes after Oregon defeated them 32-31 earlier in the season. 

“It’s unbelievable,” Howard told reporters after the game. “A younger me would be in awe and I just got to take it all in and enjoy this with my boys and we got two more [games], so we’re not done yet.”

Ohio State and Texas will battle in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10 at 7:30 pm ET. The winner will face either Penn State or the winner of the Sugar Bowl on Thursday, January 2 between Notre Dame and Georgia in the National Championship Game on Monday, January 20. 

Livvy Dunne and boyfriend Paul Skenes celebrated New Year’s Eve in New Orleans just hours before a truck attack killed at least 15 people on Bourbon Street. 

Dunne, 22, posted a photo via Instagram Story on Wednesday, January 1 of a night out in New Orleans with her boyfriend Skenes, 22, and their friends Bubba Chandler and Allie Enright. 

The LSU gymnast also posted a photo of a packed Bourbon Street with a heartbreak emoji. 

Dunne and Skenes, a superstar pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, have been dating since the summer of 2023 after meeting at LSU. 

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Chandler, 22, is a pitcher for the Pirates organization who spent his 2024 season with the Double-A Altoona Curve and the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Enright is a former cheerleader at Clemson University, where Chandler played college baseball. 

Enright and Chandler have been dating since at least August 2023, when Enright first appeared on Chandler’s Instagram.

The foursome rang in the New Year in New Orleans hours before a truck plowed its way through the packed French Quarter, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. The FBI has classified the incident as “an act of terrorism.”

One of the individuals killed in the attack was former Princeton University football player Tiger Bech. The 27-year-old was remembered by his brother, TCU football star Jack Bech, after Tiger was murdered. 

“Love you always brother!” Jack, 22, wrote via X on Wednesday. “You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us .”

Livvy Dunne and Paul Skenes' Relationship Timeline: The 2 LSU Lovebirds

Dunne, meanwhile, was getting some last minute celebrations in before she and the LSU gymnastics team kick off their season on Friday, January 3 at home in Baton Rouge against Iowa State.

Though Dunne officially graduated from the university in December, she announced her intentions to return for a fifth and final season in July. 

“This past year I found a renewed love of the sport,” Dunne said in a statement. “I had trained a lot in the off season, so I felt really strong and healthy from the start and ready to contribute. I really enjoyed the dynamic of the team this year and it all came together well. Winning the national championships was a great team accomplishment, but I feel like I have more to give as an individual competitor.”

Skenes and the Pirates open their spring training schedule on February 23. 

Former Princeton football player Tiger Bech was killed in the deadly truck attack on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day. 

Tiger, 27, was one of at least 15 fatalities on Wednesday, January 1 when a vehicle plowed through a group of holiday revelers on the famed boulevard. 

During a three-year career at Princeton from 2017 to 2019, Tiger was a two-time second team all-Ivy League kick returner and also caught 53 passes for 825 yards with three touchdowns.

Tiger was the brother of TCU star wide receiver Jack Bech, who remembered his late older brother on social media after the attack. 

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“Love you always brother!” Jack, 22, wrote via X on Wednesday. “You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us .”

Jack also posted about Tiger via his Instagram Story, calling Tiger his “best friend” and “role model.”

In a statement released by his alma mater after the attack, Princeton Tigers head football coach Bob Surace called his former player “a Tiger in every way.”

“A ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend,” Surace said. “Our last conversation was about how proud I was of the growth he showed during his time at Princeton and the success he was having after graduation. My love goes to the entire Bech family.”

Surace told ESPN that he had been texting with Tiger and Jack’s father, Martin, swapping stories about his late son. 

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“He might be the first Tiger to ever play for us, and that nickname kind of described him as a competitor,” Surace said. “He was somebody that somehow, like in the key moments, just excelled and was full of energy, full of life.”

According to ESPN, Tiger was working as a stockbroker in New York and was in New Orleans to celebrate the holidays. 

“He was just starting a successful career in the business world,” Surace said. “There were two or three times we had career nights, and you could call him with a day’s notice, and he came down and shared his experiences as a young professional with our team.”

Per the New Orleans Police Department, at least 15 people were killed in the attack and dozens were injured. The FBI has classified the incident as “an act of terrorism.”

Kobe Bryant’s daughters looked all grown up while celebrating the holidays in a winter wonderland with their mother, Vanessa Bryant. 

In a video shared via Instagram by Vanessa, 42, on Tuesday, December 31, the couple’s daughters Natalia, 21, Bianka, 8, and Capri, 5, could be seen hitting the slopes for some skiing and posing in front of some Christmas trees as they enjoyed a snowy getaway. 

Vanessa also shared a series of photos from a recent trip to Disneyland with her girls in the clip. 

In January 2020, Kobe and the couple’s second daughter, Gianna (a.k.a. Gigi), were both killed in a helicopter crash that also took the lives of 7 other people. Kobe was 41 years old, Gianna was 13. 

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Natalia is currently a film major at the University of Southern California. She also made her runway debut as a model in September 2023 at the Versace spring/summer 2024 fashion show at Milan Fashion Week. 

At a ceremony honoring Kobe in March 2023, Natalia attributed her love of movies to her late father. 

“One may wonder why I developed such a fondness for movies like Star Wars, Harry Potter, the complete Marvel universe and Goonies, amongst many others,” Natalia said. “Well, the reason behind it is that I watched all of these movies with my dad, and each of those memories I will never forget.”

In August 2023, Bianka was the recipient of Taylor Swift’s hat during the pop star’s performance of her song “22” during an Eras Tour stop at Inglewood, California’s SoFi Stadium. 

Vanessa posted a candid photo of the moment via Instagram. “We love you @taylorswift ,” she wrote alongside a snap of Swift, 35, hugging Bianka from the stage. 

At the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game in July, Capri was seen hanging out courtside with superstar Caitlin Clark, who happened to be wearing the same shoes as Capri — the special edition WNBA All-Star Nike Kobe 6s that Vanessa gifted to the teams prior to the game.

Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant: A Timeline of Their Relationship

Vanessa works to keep her late husband’s legacy alive in many ways, including posting about him on social media to celebrate certain milestones. 

On what should have been Kobe’s 46th birthday in August, Vanessa shared an old picture of the couple via Instagram and wrote, “Happy birthday @kobebryant. I love you for now, forever & for always. ”

To commemorate Father’s Day 2024, Vanessa shared a photo via Instagram of Kobe and all four girls shortly after Capri was born. 

“Happy Father’s Day to the best daddy,”  Vanessa wrote. 

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman had plenty to celebrate in 2024 — including his blossoming friendship with Taylor Swift. 

Hardman, 26, posted a carousel of photos from throughout the year via Instagram on Tuesday, December 31, including a snap of him and Swift, 35, from her Eras Tour–themed party earlier in the month. 

The party, which was planned by Swift’s boyfriend and Hardman’s teammate, Travis Kelce, went down on December 18. It came on the heels of Swift wrapping her massive world tour on December 8 and her 35th birthday on December 13. 

Hardman’s post also included pictures with Katy Perry and Floyd Mayweather, his game-winning touchdown catch in February’s Super Bowl and his June engagement to fiancée Chariah Gordon. 

Inside Taylor Swift's Friendship With Chariah Gordon

The couple, who have been dating since 2021, share son Three, 22 months, and daughter Ci, 8 months. 

Gordon commented on Hardman’s post with three red heart emojis. 

Since Swift started dating Kelce, 35, in 2023, she and Gordon have developed a tight-knit friendship. 

They were first pictured together — alongside their partners — in October 2023 in a photo posted to Gordon’s Instagram. Swift planted a kiss on Kelce’s cheek while Gordon smiled and placed her hand on Hardman’s chest. The image just so happened to be the first time Swift and Kelce ever showed PDA. 

“I just thought that we looked cute and I posted it,” Gordon told People of the viral picture. “I didn’t have [any] thought into it, honestly. I didn’t know that it was going to be that big.”

In November 2024, Gordon attended Swift’s Eras Tour in Indianapolis and posted from the stadium’s VIP section. “Go sister!!!!!” Gordon wrote via Instagram Story on November 1, alongside a video of Swift performing onstage. 

On to a trip to Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium on November 10, Swift was pictured holding baby Ci. In a photo shared via Instagram Story by Gordon, she called Swift “Auntie Tay.”

Mecole Hardman Jr. and Chariah Gordon's Kids Attend Their 1st Chiefs Game

Later that month, Gordon told Glamour that Swift sent a gift to baby Ci while she was overseas performing the Eras Tour. 

“It’s so freaking cute and so thoughtful,” Gordon gushed, while keeping the gift itself a secret. 

Hardman — who has missed the Chiefs’ last four games with a knee injury — is expected to be back in the lineup when the team begins its playoff quest in the NFL Divisional Round the weekend of January 18. 

The Chiefs are hoping to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls. They will close out the regular season on Sunday, January 5, against the Denver Broncos. 

In his lawsuit against The New York Times, Justin Baldoni accused Ryan Reynolds of berating him for allegedly “fat-shaming” Blake Lively. 

Baldoni, 40, filed the $250 million lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, December 31, weeks after the outlet published an article in which Lively, 37, accused Baldoni of sexual harassment while working together on the film It Ends With Us. (Lively officially filed her own lawsuit regarding the allegations on Tuesday.)

In the docs filed by Baldoni, the actor recalled an allegedly hostile meeting with Lively and Reynolds, 48, at their New York City apartment prior to filming. Baldoni accused Lively and Reynolds of an “inappropriate and humiliating berating” and chastised him for “fat-shaming” Lively. 

Baldoni said the confrontation was “delivered, perhaps intentionally, as other celebrity friends were coming in and out of their penthouse.”

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Reported 'It Ends With Us' Drama Explained

The disagreement allegedly stemmed from Baldoni inquiring about Lively’s weight for a scene in the movie, during which Baldoni’s character was supposed to lift Lively in the air. Baldoni asked his trainer, who he was introduced to through Lively and Reynolds. The trainer then relayed the information onto the couple.

According to the lawsuit, the conversation was “prompted by Baldoni’s reasonable inquiry into crucial information needed to ensure safety and avoid injury in a scene.”

Baldoni suffers from “back issues and has multiple bulging discs,” per the lawsuit, and wanted to make sure he could lift Lively without issue. 

Baldoni’s suit claims that the confrontation was “so aggressive” that he felt “compelled to offer repeated apologies, despite his question being entirely reasonable and made in good faith.”

Following the incident at the apartment, Lively allegedly refused to perform the lift scene “even though it had already been rehearsed with a stunt double.” The lawsuit alleges Lively even threatened to “quit” the movie altogether unless Baldoni agreed to work “the way she works.”

In response to Baldoni’s filing, Lively’s attorney told Us on Tuesday, December 31 that the lawsuit was based on an “obviously false premise.”

Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni

“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims advanced in Ms. Lively’s California Civil Rights Department Complaint, nor her federal complaint, filed earlier today,” the statement read. “This lawsuit is based on the obviously false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on a choice “not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,” and that “litigation was never her ultimate goal.”  As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false.  While we will not litigate this matter in the press, we do encourage people to read Ms. Lively’s complaint in its entirety. We look forward to addressing each and every one of Wayfarer’s allegations in court.”

In a statement provided to Us on Tuesday, The New York Times stood by its reporting of Lively’s accusations, which were previously denied by Baldoni’s lawyer.

“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” the outlet’s statement read. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article. To date, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, the other subjects of the article and their representatives have not pointed to a single error. We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well.”

The spokesperson added, “We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

Exactly one year after she was released from prison, Gypsy Rose Blanchard became a mother. 

Blanchard, 33, and her partner, Ken Urker, welcomed a baby girl named Aurora on Saturday, December 28. 

Urker broke the news via Instagram on Wednesday, January 1. “Welcoming 2025 with the greatest gift of all ,” Urker shared alongside a photo of him, Blanchard and their new baby in the hospital. 

The birth happened in Blanchard’s home state of Louisiana. “Aurora is healthy and we are so happy,” Urker told TMZ. 

Lindsay Hubbard, Mandy Moore and More Stars Who Welcomed Babies in 2024 

One year before her daughter’s arrival, Blanchard was released after serving nearly nine years in prison. In 2016, she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ken Urker (@kenurker)

Nicholas Godejohn, Gypsy’s boyfriend at the time, conspired to kill Dee Dee with Gypsy, with Godejohn ultimately stabbing her to death. Godejohn pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. 

DeeDee is widely believed to have suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “a mental health condition where you pretend that someone within your care is sick when they aren’t.” Throughout her childhood, Gypsy was convinced that she had various ailments, including leukemia, muscular dystrophy and brain damage, and was told that she required a feeding tube and a wheelchair.

The saga was depicted in the 2017 documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest and the 2019 Hulu limited series The Act, in which Gypsy was played by actress Joey King. 

Gypsy and Urker previously got engaged in 2018 while she was still in prison, though the couple split a year later. Gypsy then got married to Ryan Anderson while she was behind bars.

Shortly after she was released in December 2023, Gypsy announced she and Anderson had split. She officially filed for divorce from Anderson in March 2024. 

Four months later, Gypsy announced she was pregnant. 

Inside Pregnant Gypsy Rose Blanchard and BF Ken Urker's Parenting Plan

“I know the rumors have been flying around for quite some time now, and I’m happy to announce that I am 11 weeks pregnant,” she said in a YouTube video at the time. “Ken and I are expecting our very first child come January 2025.”

Gypsy noted that the pregnancy was “not planned” but said that she and Urker “are both very excited to take on this new journey of parenthood.”

Before announcing her pregnancy, Gypsy exclusively told Us Weekly how excited she was to start a family.

“Absolutely I want kids someday,” she told Us in May 2024. “I think that I’m going to be a good mother. I think Ken would be a wonderful father, and so we’ll see what the future holds for us.”

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Katie Gaudreau reflected on her difficult year after her brothers, Johnny and Matthew, were killed by a drunk driver the night before her wedding. 

“2024 I hate you,” Katie, 26, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, December 31. “You went from what should have been the best year of my life to the worst. You taught me that life is cruel and unfair. You made me feel so small and so lost but you didn’t get the best of me because I have come out stronger and wiser.”

The post featured a video slideshow of Katie’s year, which included many memories involving both Johnny and Matthew. 

Katie added, “2025 I am not sure how to feel about you yet because I don’t know how we leave 2024 like this.”

Why the Gaudreau Brothers’ Heartbreaking Tragedy Captured Everyone's Attention

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were struck and killed while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey on August 29, just hours before they were supposed to be groomsmen in Katie’s wedding. She has since rescheduled the ceremony for July 2025. 

It has been an emotional holiday season for the entire Gaudreau family. Matthew’s wife, Madeline Gaudreau, welcomed the couple’s first baby, a son named Tripp, on Sunday, December 29. 

Katie reacted enthusiastically to the news with a comment on Madeline’s Instagram post announcing Tripp’s arrival. 

“Yay!!!!!!!!!!!! Aunt Katie loves you, mommy, and daddy SOOOO much,” she wrote.

Johnny and Matthew’s mother, Jane, also responded to the birth of her grandson via social media. 

“Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop’s hearts are overflowing with love for you, Tripp Matthew,” Jane shared via her Instagram Story on Sunday, December 29, also referencing her husband, Guy. “We are so incredibly proud of you and your mommy and I know your Daddy is too! .”

How the Gaudreaus Spent 1st Christmas Since Deaths of Johnny and Matthew

Johnny was also survived by his wife, Meredith Gaudreau, and their two children: daughter Noa, now 2, and son Johnny, now 10 months. At a memorial service for the brothers in September, Meredith revealed she was nine weeks pregnant with the couple’s third baby.

Days after Johnny and Matthew were killed, Katie recalled hearing the news as she was preparing to walk down the aisle. 

“That day,” Katie wrote via Instagram on September 5. “Right in the middle of getting ready for the best day of my life the unthinkable happens that will change my life forever. I remember a week ago being in the hotel sitting with family and texting Devin about how we forgot to practice our dip. To think that was our biggest worry at this moment when in just a split second and a phone call later our lives would forever change.”

Katie added, “Remember to tell your people you love them. I would do anything to tell my big brothers I love them one more time.”

Before ringing in the New Year, Jon Hamm reacted to the breakup that rocked the Bravo universe. 

Hamm, 53, appeared on CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live on Tuesday, December 31, where the reality TV superfan gave his heartfelt response to the split of Summer House stars Craig Conover and Paige DeSorbo. 

“I gotta pour one out for Craig and Paige,” the Mad Men star told hosts Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. “My goodness. The end of an era. Geez. Who’da thunk it?”

DeSorbo, 32, announced she and Conover, 35, had split after three years of dating on Monday, December 30. 

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During his interview with Cohen, 56, and Cooper, 57 — which Hamm did remotely from Chicago’s Wrigley Field after the NHL’s Winter Classic outdoor game between his hometown St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks — the actor also offered his analysis of the current season of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, namely the show’s star Dorit Kemsley. 

“I have some thoughts. Dorit is not doing it for me these days,” Hamm said. “I’m having some issues with her mentality and her issues.”

Cooper, meanwhile, was stunned at Hamm’s Bravo fluency. “Is Jon Hamm a fan?” he asked. “Really!”

Hamm has been a vocal Bravoholic over the years, making multiple appearances with Cohen on the network’s Watch What Happens Live. During a 2023 appearance on the Today show, Hamm professed his love for The Real Housewives of New Jersey and called himself a “Vanderpumper,” in reference to Vanderpump Rules. 

As for DeSorbo and Conover’s breakup, DeSorbo shared the news during the Monday, December 30, episode of her and Hannah Berner’s “Giggly Squad” podcast.

“Craig and I have decided to no longer be together,” DeSorbo said. “I love him, I think he loves me. I think we will remain friends. No one did anything. It wasn’t a bad thing. I think we both were just being really mature and saying what we want and what we didn’t want, and I think that’s extremely powerful to be able to voice how you’re feeling in real time and what you want for your future.”

Andy Cohen Subtly Reacts to Paige DeSorbo and Craig Conover’s Split News

A source exclusively told Us Weekly that Conoover had big ideas on the horizon for the couple before the split was announced. 

“Craig was ready for the next steps and had plans to propose to Paige. He was really pushing for the next steps and wanted to settle down with her,” the source revealed.

The source further explained that the couple’s long distance relationship —DeSorbo lives in New York City while Conover resides in Charleston, South Carolina — was a strain on the pair. 

“Paige does not want to move to Charleston, and logistically it was never going to work out long term,” the insider said. “Many of their friends are not shocked at all, but everyone is sad for them.”

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Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has had his high school sweetheart by his side on his journey to the College Football Playoff. 

Allar, 20, and his girlfriend, Emma Bush, started dating in September 2019 when the pair were students at Medina High School in Medina, Ohio. 

From there, Allar enrolled at Penn State in 2022 and became the team’s starting quarterback in 2023, leading them to the first-ever expanded 12-team playoff in 2024. 

Bush, meanwhile, enrolled at Big Ten rival Ohio State in 2022 and joined the Tri Delta sorority.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers and Girlfriend Mady Barnes’ Relationship Timeline

Despite the distance, however, the couple has made it work with trips to-and-from both State College, Pennsylvania and Columbus, Ohio, especially on game days. 

For a timeline of Allar and Bush’s relationship, keep reading. 

September 2019

Allar and Bush first posted about their relationship via Instagram.

The couple was dressed for the nines for a high school dance, with Allar wearing a red tie to match Bush’s dress. 

August 2021

Bush supported Allar on the sidelines of a Medina High football game, where he was the standout quarterback. 

“My people ,” Bush captioned an Instagram post, which featured the pair smiling for the camera. 

May 2022

The couple attended senior prom together, with Allar wearing a navy blue tie to match Bush’s dress. 

Allar posted a picture from the big day via Instagram, captioning teh snap with a heart-hands emoji.

September 2022

Allar and Bush commemorated a major relationship milestone at the beginning of their freshman years of college 

“Celebrating 3 years with you!! I love you so much!” Bush shared via Instagram. 

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The post featured a carousel of photos from throughout their relationship, including one of Bush decked out in Penn State gear. 

Allar commented on the post, “I love you .”

April 2023

Before taking over the starting job at Penn State, Allar traveled to Columbus for Bush’s sorority spring formal. 

“Lots of love!” Bush captioned a photo of the couple via Instagram.

December 2024

Bush traveled to State College to see Allar and Penn State defeat SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff on December 21.

“Weekend recap!!!” Bush captioned an Instagram post, which also saw the pair travel to Cleveland to sit courtside at a Cavaliers game. 

Allar commented on the post with three red-heart emojis.

Bill Belichick is getting a quick indoctrination to life with college kids — because his Instagram DMs are flooded. 

Belichick, 72, was announced as the new head coach at the University of North Carolina on December 12. In the time since, Belichick said he’s become quite popular on social media. 

“A lot of guys [have been] contacting us wanting to come to Carolina,” Belichick said Monday, December 30, on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. “My Instagram account has been busy. Scrolling through that. Never thought I’d be saying that.”

Belichick continued, “But here I am. Joining the 21st century.”

Bill Belichick Can’t Keep Eyes Open in Date Night Pic With Jordon Hudson

The former Patriots head coach has been busy recruiting with “a lot of guys going into the transfer portal,” the official way college athletes can change schools. 

“It seems like every day, as teams’ seasons conclude with the bowl games and the playoff, they’re coming up,” Belichick explained. 

The school will host potential recruits on campus during the weekends of January 4 and 11, Belichick explained. 

“It’s been fun, it’s been good,” he said of the experience thus far. “Really enjoyed it. The school’s been great.”

Belichick added, “A lot of good players want to come to Carolina, so that’s a good thing. If you see any good ones, send them our way.”

McAfee, 37, laughed, but the former Indianapolis Colts punter was still stuck on the fact that the notoriously old school Belichick was using social media to his advantage.

“I cannot wait to see who ends up a North Carolina Tar Heel under your watch down there,” McAfee said. “I think that’s something that a lot of people would be excited about. I can’t believe you’re using your SnapFace and MyFace DMs now to connect with people that potentially are in the transfer portal, but I love it.”

While he’s busy answering all of his DMs, Belichick has also been a fixture on the Instagram feed of his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

A Timeline of Bill Belichick's Relationship With 24-Year-Old Jordon Hudson

Hudson and Belichick met in 2021 while Hudson was still in college. They made their relationship Instagram official in October and, since then, Hudson has routinely shared photos of the couple’s busy lives.

When Belichick’s hiring at North Carolina was announced, Hudson revealed she’d be making the move south with him. 

“We are onto Chapel Hill!!!” Hudson posted via her Instagram Story on December 13. 

Belichick’s tenure as head coach at the University of North Carolina will officially get underway when spring practice kicks off in April. 

Coco Gauff’s admission about her lack of late ‘90s boy band knowledge has Us feeling old. 

Gauff, 20, took part in a video Q&A with her fellow American tennis stars Danielle Collins and Taylor Fritz, in which the athletes were asked to name their “first celebrity crush.”

“Lance Bass seemed like the safest human in the world,” Collins, 31, said of her affinity for the ‘NSync member. 

Bass, 45, came out as gay in 2006. “It totally makes sense now,” Collins joked. 

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Gauff, however, didn’t understand the connection. 

“I have no idea who that is,” she admitted with a laugh. 

Gauff was born in March 2004, more than three years after the release of ‘NSync’s last studio album, Celebrity. Bass was a founding member of the iconic boy band alongside Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and JC Chasez. 

When it came time for Gauff to answer the question herself, the 2023 US Open champion got bashful.

“I don’t want to say my first celebrity crush because I know him now,” Gauff said.

The room erupted in laughter and Gauff was asked, “Are you dating him?”

“No, I’m not dating him,” Gauff said, before revealing her answer to be actor Michael B. Jordan. “I love that man,” she gushed. 

As for her actual love life, Gauff posted an Instagram photo with her rumored boyfriend, Jalen Sera, in November. 

Gauff shared a series of photos from the Camp Flog Gnaw Music Festival in Los Angeles, including one of her and Sera, 22, standing side-by-side. While Gauff didn’t confirm their relationship, rumors about the pair have swirled since 2023, and they often exchange flirty Instagram comments with each other. 

Gauff discussed her boyfriend with Time magazine in April, calling their connection her “first real relationship.” 

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“To just have someone to talk to who is not involved in tennis at all gives me a fresh perspective,” Gauff said, hinting she and her partner had been together since the spring of 2023. 

Gauff told Vogue in March, “He’s a very nice guy. He’s in school now. He’s about to apply for music school. He wants to be an actor and he plays the guitar.”

The boyfriend has even met Gauff’s parents, Candi and Corey — and earned rave reviews. 

“My mom always said, if they’re bad in school, they’re probably bad as adults,” Candi told Time. “He’s always been a smart, nice kid.”