JUST IN: Team USA Rugby Star Ilona Maher Reflects on Her Unforgettable Olympic Moment with Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce, Describes the Heartwarming Support from them During the Paris Games

Team USA Rugby Star Ilona Maher Reflects on Her Unforgettable Olympic Moment with Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce Describes the Heartwarming Support from Them During the Paris Games

In the whirlwind of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA rugby sevens star Ilona Maher carved out a legacy that extended far beyond the field. While her athletic prowess helped lead the U.S. women’s rugby team to a historic bronze medal, it was an unexpected and heartwarming encounter with NFL legend Jason Kelce and his wife, Kylie Kelce, that became one of her most cherished Olympic moments. As Maher reflects on the experience, she describes the genuine support and enthusiasm the couple brought to her team’s journey, a memory that encapsulates the spirit of camaraderie and celebration at the Games.

Maher, a 27-year-old Vermont native turned rugby sensation, had already made waves in the sports world with her powerful performances and vibrant social media presence. But during the Paris Games, her star power reached new heights when Jason Kelce, the recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center, and Kylie, a former collegiate field hockey player, stepped into the stands to cheer on Team USA’s rugby squad. What began as a casual visit quickly turned into a viral moment that showcased the couple’s infectious enthusiasm and Maher’s knack for building bridges between sports communities.

The story started after Team USA’s victorious match against Brazil on July 28, 2024, when Jason and Kylie visited the team’s locker room. Maher, ever the charismatic leader, seized the opportunity to pitch Jason on becoming the team’s unofficial “superfan.” In a now-iconic video, she playfully argued her case: “Women’s water polo has Flavor Flav as their superfan. And you are a girl dad.” She jokingly added that the role came with “no reward, no money, no benefits,” but Jason, stroking his beard in mock contemplation, didn’t hesitate. “I am officially a fan of women’s rugby, Olympics,” he declared, sparking cheers from Maher and her teammates. “We got Jason Kelce!” she exclaimed, cementing the moment in Olympic lore.

For Maher, the interaction was more than just a fun exchange—it was a testament to the couple’s authentic support. “Kylie and I had chatted before online, so we were already mutual friends in a way,” Maher shared in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly on August 8, 2024. “I was so happy that she came to the game and brought Jason. To get a football guy like that to watch the game was so cool.” The Kelces’ presence, she noted, helped shine a spotlight on rugby—a sport often overshadowed in the U.S. by more mainstream athletics.

Jason, 36, and Kylie, 32, didn’t stop at a single visit. They returned to support Team USA at multiple matches, with Jason sporting a tight-fitting U.S. rugby jersey and his signature French beret—a nod to the Parisian setting. Their commitment peaked when Jason debuted a custom button-down shirt adorned with Maher’s face, a bold fashion statement that left fans dubbing him “the Flavor Flav of USA rugby.” Kylie captured the moment on Instagram, sharing a hilarious clip of Jason looking exhausted yet proud after a long day of cheering, still clutching the rugby ball and wearing the Maher-inspired shirt. “Yes, that’s @ilonamaher on his shirt,” she captioned, adding a playful nod to the couple’s all-in support.

Maher couldn’t help but laugh when recalling how the shirt came to be. “My family got to meet him, and I think my mom gave him one of the shirts they’d made for me,” she told Us Weekly. “He wore that to gymnastics and even tossed the ball around with my dad. It was so cool to see.” For Maher, seeing Jason—a celebrated athlete in his own right—embrace rugby with such gusto was a highlight of her Olympic experience. “He’s just a really down-to-earth dude, and I think he genuinely liked watching the rugby,” she said. “I think more people can get into it like Jason.”

The Kelces’ support wasn’t just symbolic—it coincided with Team USA’s groundbreaking run to the bronze medal, the first time the U.S. women’s rugby sevens team reached the Olympic podium. After a tough 24-12 semifinal loss to New Zealand, Maher and her squad rallied to defeat Australia 14-12 in a thrilling bronze-medal match on July 30, 2024. Jason and Kylie were there, cheering from the stands, their presence a morale boost amid the high stakes. “Having Jason was a bonus,” Maher later told the Associated Press. “He’s a girl dad. He’s somebody who supports women’s sports. So for him to be supporting us was really cool.”

Kylie, with her own deep ties to sports, brought an extra layer of meaning to the moment. A former field hockey standout at Cabrini University, she had long dreamed of attending the Olympics—an event that historically overlapped with Jason’s NFL training camp. “When we found out we were going to have an opportunity to go to this, we were like, ‘Let’s take advantage of it now that we can,’” Jason told the Associated Press. For Kylie, seeing Team USA’s rugby team in action was a full-circle moment. “She’s a really cool woman and she does a lot for women’s sports,” Maher said of Kylie, echoing the mutual admiration that fueled their connection.

As Maher looks back on the Paris Games, the bronze medal and the Kelce encounter stand out as twin pillars of an unforgettable journey. “It’s been crazy—lots of interviews, all sorts of things,” she told Us Weekly, still buzzing from the whirlwind. But beyond the accolades, it’s the human connections—like the one with Jason and Kylie—that linger. “To have them there, supporting us and bringing more eyes to rugby, it meant so much,” she reflected. In a Games filled with triumphs, the Kelces’ heartwarming support became a golden memory for Maher, proof that the Olympic spirit thrives in the stands as much as it does on the