Dancing with the Stars fans, you know it’s not just about the flawless dances and amazing episode themes, right? We’re also here for all the behind-the-scenes tea and personal drama. Take Rylee Arnold, for example. Last few months, there were rumors flying around that she and her DWTS partner, Stephen Nedroscik, might be dating. But then, out of nowhere, Rylee drops a major bombshell on October 27 by hard-launching her relationship with USC football player Walker Lyon. Now, it looks like they’re really enjoying their time together!

And this is all happening while she’s making it to the finals of DWTS! With the big finale coming up on November 26, Rylee’s juggling her practice time with supporting her boyfriend. Busy times! But on November 24, Rylee shared a series of Instagram stories from the stands at a big NFL game, where she was cheering on her boyfriend, Walker Lyon. In the game, USC football fought hard to beat UCLA 19-13, securing a bowl bid and avoiding a losing season. It was a huge win, especially in a rivalry game. Still, for a program like USC, this victory is more of a stepping stone—just the start of their championship dreams.

In her second Instagram story, Rylee couldn’t hide her excitement after USC’s win, posting a simple but excited “USC WIN.” You could really feel her energy! In the next story, the couple shared a cute moment together, with Rylee rocking a shirt with the number 85 and Lyon’s name on it. She captioned the story, “so proud of him,” and tagged him. Lyons even reshared the story on his own Instagram. Then, in the next story, they were hugging it out in the celebration moment, with Rylee captioning it, “the best.”

Of course, with NFL players’ hectic schedules and constant travel, balancing a relationship isn’t always easy. Since Rylee made their relationship public, she’s kept fans in the loop, sharing plenty of updates and showing off their growing connection. Everyone’s curious though—how did these two actually meet?

Rylee Arnold opens up about her relationship with Walker Lyons

Back in October, Rylee Arnold gave fans a peek into her relationship with USC football player Walker Lyons in a TikTok video. She talked about how their schedules surprisingly worked out, making it easier for them to spend time together. “Luckily, our schedules kind of work out together,” she said. “We’re both busy and free at the same time of the week, so it makes things kind of nice.” She also shared that even though they had a lot of mutual connections before meeting, their first date still had her feeling a little nervous. “I feel like our personalities match really well already, so I’m interested to see how this will go,” she added, excited but a bit anxious.

Lyons, who’s from Folsom, California, had a strong high school football career, even after a serious injury cut his senior season short. He was named All-American Bowl’s Man of the Year in 2023 for his impressive athletic skills and community service. Rylee reflected on their first date, saying how easy it was to talk to him and how much they had in common. “He is so sweet and humble, and just all the amazing qualities,” she said. Then, on October 27, she made things official with an Instagram post from one of his football games, captioning it, “Is this a hard launch?? 🤭❤️‍🔥.” Her friends, family, and DWTS castmates couldn’t get enough of it, all sending their support and excitement for the couple. But for now, we hope she and Stephen Nedroscik take the DWTS trophy!