“Philly was winning by a lot before I came on. So, I’m sure they won. Let’s not have these Eagles fly, man. Let’s get them out here too,” ATP star and World No.17 Frances Tiafoe said back in January after his first round victory at the Australian Open. He urged his favorite NFL team, Washington Commanders, to put a full stop on Eagles’ winning momentum. Sadly, his wish couldn’t be fulfilled. Few weeks later, Eagles thrashed Commanders 55-23 at the Lincoln Financial Field. But that wasn’t the only disappointment for him. Imagine having to be a fan of your favorite team’s rival! Wait…Tiafoe? But why? Thanks to Tommy Paul!

On the first day of the ATP Masters 1000 event, the No. 14 seed was seen practicing, carrying his Yonex kitbag and Lululemon gear. Amidst greetings with Donna Vekic and Pam Shriver, he sported a surprising accessory: a Philadelphia Eagles cap. This sparked some curiosity, as it’s well-known he’s a dedicated Washington Commanders fan, making the Eagles cap a rather unexpected accessory.

The official event’s X handle, while highlighting Tiafoe’s headgear, wrote, “GO BIRDS🦅” Nearly an hour after the video started gaining traction on social media, Tiafoe decided to clear the confusion.

Screaming out his love for Commanders, he replied back to the post, “Nooo nooo @Commanders fan for life”. Revealing the reason for wearing the rival team’s gear, Tiafoe added that he actually “lost a bet to @TommyPaul1″.

Well, it’s not yet confirmed what was the bet that he lost against the World No.11. But you know what?

Tommy Paul, a New Jersey native and avid Philadelphia Eagles fan, has been celebrating his team’s recent Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. This celebration followed the Eagles’ NFC Championship win against his fellow player, Frances Tiafoe’s beloved Washington Commanders, a game Paul declared his favorite sporting event ever.

Leading up to the Super Bowl, Paul wore an Eagles cap at the Dallas Open, held at the Dallas Cowboys’ headquarters, a direct rival of his team. Then, at the ATP Masters 1000 event, he was seen wearing an Eagles cap again. Coming back to Tiafoe, the American has expressed his immense passion for Commanders on previous occasions. Remember his special shoutout to Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin from earlier this year?

Oh, and he also received an exclusive treatment from his beloved team last season!

When Frances Tiafoe shared happiness over his favorite NFL team’s victory

Ahead of his Australian Open campaign in January, Frances Tiafoe was seen sporting a Commanders’ t-shirt during his practice session. Later, when he won his first round match against Arthur Rinderknech, he got to know that his team also secured a victory in a league game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Commanders won their match 23-20, giving Tiafoe big reason to have a double delight.

During a post-match interview, he screamed, “Commanders baby. Some fans told me. They just told me when I finished. I started laughing, man,” reported ESPN. He then gave a shoutout to the team’s two popular players, Jayden Daniels, alongside McLaurin, saying “Unbelievable, man…”

“JD5 and Terry, I love you’ll boys. Mark, you’re probably acting like the owner right now, like Josh Harris himself. But, congratulations everybody. That’s so big for DMV. Today, my win is big for DMV as well,” he added. The win was the Commanders’ first playoff victory in 19 years. 

Last year, Tiafoe was even given a special treatment by the Commanders. He eventually made a surprise appearance during their team meeting in September 2024. Commanders had lost their first match of the season. Just when they were planning how to perform against the New York Giants in the next game, Tiafoe appeared. He ended up receiving a huge cheer from the members present in the meeting room.

While his love for NFL is much appreciated, Tiafoe will now look to set his sights on Indian Wells. After crashing out of Melbourne in the second round, he failed to impress in Dallas too. In the second round, Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka ousted him. Later, the American also witnessed an early exit at the Mexican Open. Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina eliminated him in the second round.

Tiafoe will kickstart his Indian Wells journey on Saturday against Bosnia’s Damir Džumhur. They will meet each other for the first time in an ATP encounter. Do you think the World No.17 will make a deep run at the event? Let us know in the comments below.