Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory last month, the American ace Coco Gauff playfully declared her temporary allegiance on X, tweeting, “Congrats to philly lolll it was fun being an eagles fan for a day. I gotta go back to my fins now, but hopefully we’ll see this success in my lifetime.” This enthusiasm is deeply rooted, stemming from her family’s athletic background—her father played college basketball and her mother was a track and field athlete—and even her own childhood dreams of NFL stardom alongside her brother Cameron. Well, after her Miami Open exit, she engaged in a hilarious NFL challenge. So, what’s the story behind Coco’s foray into football?

Just hours ago, the official IG handle of the Miami Open dropped an entertaining video featuring some of the tournament’s stars trying their hand at an NFL-style target challenge, captioned, “It’s harder than it looks 😅 Watch the players take on the NFL target challenge! 🏈” Coco Gauff joined Novak Djoković, Aryna Sabalenka, Frances Tiafoe, and a handful of other individuals in attempting some NFL drills.

The amusing clips captured the former US champion playfully exclaiming, “Oh, I overthrew that one,” after her first miss.

Another lighthearted moment followed as she joked, observing another player’s successful long shot, “Oh, well, he just got it from back there. They’re too busy focused on me.” After a series of near misses and inaccurate throws, the 9-time WTA singles winner concluded the challenge with a laugh, declaring with her characteristic charm and good spirits, “Today is not my day,” perfectly encapsulating her NFL cameo.

Back in 2022, Coco even shared memorable moments with Dolphins stars, posing for photos alongside wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and linebacker Jaelen Phillips. To top it off, the American ace fired up the crowd, leading a spirited chant of “Let’s go, Dolphins!,” proving once again that her sports fandom goes far beyond the tennis court. Seems like Dolphins aren’t Gauff’s only favorite.!

On March 23rd, Coco Gauff lit up Stadium Court at the Miami Open, advancing to the R16 with an emphatic win over Maria Sakkari. She claimed her second consecutive victory over the Greek star, having also defeated her at Indian Wells just weeks earlier. The 21-year-old couldn’t contain her delight while speaking to the crowd after her victory, expressing the deep significance of winning at home and cheekily throwing in a mention of her two beloved NFL team.

“It’s very special to be here. I grew up going to this tournament. I’m a diehard Dolphins and Miami Heat fan. It’s great to be here in Hard Rock Stadium and to play in front of my friends and family. Some are over there and some are over here,” she said. But even with her increasing love for football, especially her Miami Dolphins, a recent lighthearted video showed that Coco’s NFL skills aren’t quite at her tennis level just yet.

Gauff’s fans have always admired her love for the NFL, but her recent performance at her home tournament calls for some serious self-reflection.

Coco shared her honest opinion after crashing out of the Miami Open

The third seed Coco Gauff’s campaign came to an abrupt end, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads in the Miami Open. The recently turned 21-year-old fell in straight sets to 34th seed Magda Linette, 4-6, 4-6, in the R16. It wasn’t just the loss that stunned her supporters: it was the manner of it.

Coco struggled with rhythm throughout, tallying an alarming 12 ‘double faults’ and a whopping 45 ‘unforced errors’ that ultimately sealed her fate. What made the defeat even more baffling was how promising Coco’s Miami Open journey had looked just days earlier.

Gauff had dazzled on home soil, breezing past Sofia Kenin with a ‘double-bagel’ masterclass and overpowering Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-4, sending a clear message that she was regaining her spark. But as the stakes grew higher, old inconsistencies reappeared at the worst possible moment for her.

“It wasn’t great today. It hasn’t been the last few weeks. I’m trying to figure that out. Definitely not happy about it. Just one of those days when I felt awful in everything on the court,” she admitted in the post match conference. 

Despite her early exit in the ongoing Miami Open, the upcoming clay season offers Coco Gauff, who admits that she is better on clay, the perfect stage for a powerful comeback! With her campaign set to kick off in Stuttgart by mid-April, all eyes will be on the young American ace to see if this could finally be the season she breaks through the barriers and captures her maiden singles title on clay this time around. Will 2025 be the year Coco cracks the clay-court code? What do you think?