NFL’s Strategic Embrace of Star Quarterbacks and Their Partners

It seems the NFL is still very much engaged with AstroTurf, but here’s something intriguing—recent moments involving three prominent quarterbacks have caught some attention. They were spotted seemingly sharing kisses with their famous girlfriends during a training camp. But, perhaps surprising to some, these instances were not just random; they fit into a broader initiative by the league.

According to reports, images featuring Justin Herbert with his new fiancée, Madison Beer, Joe Burrow with his rumored partner Olivia Ponton, and Jackson Dart alongside Marissa Ayers, are all part of a well-thought-out strategy aimed at generating excitement for the NFL among women and young girls.

Ian Trombetta, the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Social and Influencer Marketing, mentioned, “We’ve long engaged with players’ families and loved ones at both club and league levels. Whether during training camp, weekly practices, or major events like the Super Bowl, we seek out genuine moments to highlight our players and their journeys. We aim for content that’s authentic and relatable, which really resonates with women and younger fans—a significant and growing audience for us.”

Getting attention from high-profile partners is clearly on the NFL’s radar, and it appears they’ve chosen a rather effective trio. Madison Beer, for instance, boasts a staggering 21.1 million followers on TikTok—yes, that’s more than the NFL’s total social following combined.

Ponton and Ayers, both Gen Z influencers, also come with impressive social media followings. When Beer and Herbert shared their engagement in July, the post from the NFL garnered about ten times more likes than typical posts from the league. That’s quite telling.

This focus aligns with the league’s efforts to broaden its content geared towards women for the new season. On August 4, Herbert and Beer enjoyed their time together at Chargers camp, with Beer showing off her stunning engagement ring. Interestingly, earlier in the offseason, Herbert received some scrutiny for missing optional practices to join Beer on her tour.

Meanwhile, Burrow and Ponton were seen sitting together on the sidelines after practice, though they haven’t officially confirmed their relationship. They’ve been dating since December 2024 and have attended various events together.

As for Dart and Ayers, their relationship was recently made public as well, and they’ve been spotted out together multiple times, even at Giants training camp. Ayers delighted fans during a surprise visit to a youth camp in New York, posting about her experiences and their fun time with the kids.

It’s worth noting, though, that this group doesn’t have quite the star power of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey. Swift attended Chiefs games this past season and has consistently been seen supporting Kelsey, significantly boosting the NFL’s appeal among younger fans and women alike.

Kelsey recently shared insights about his and Swift’s wedding that took place on July 3. The couple hasn’t revealed many details, but Kelsey reflected that it was “the best night of my life” and expressed gratitude to everyone who celebrated with them, adding that while it was indeed a special night, “it’s football baby.”