Ivanka's Flirty Escalation With NFL^® Player Raises Eyebrows

Ivanka Trump, 2020. Official White House photo by Andrea Hanks. Public domain.

It's not every day that an NFL^® player calls out a presidential daughter as his "type" — and even rarer when she responds.

But that's exactly what unfolded in the unexpectedly cheeky exchange between Philadelphia Eagles^® cornerback Eli Ricks and Ivanka Trump. The buzz started during the team's April White House visit and turned into full-on internet gossip fodder by mid-May, thanks to a handwritten note and an offer of a glass of wine.

A Crush Goes Viral

It all began on April 28 when the Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off their Super Bowl^® LIX win, visited the White House. Among the photo ops, fanfare, and ceremonial grins, Ricks had eyes on someone else — Ivanka Trump. The 23-year-old undrafted rookie out of Alabama and LSU took to X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Donald trump daughter is beautiful d--n," according to Newsweek. He reportedly doubled down by posting, "Ivanka is exactly my type."

The internet noticed — and so did Ivanka.

Fast forward to May 16. Ivanka, 43, arrived at the Eagles' training facility in Philadelphia alongside her son Theodore's flag football team for a tour. While there, she sought out Ricks' locker and left a handwritten note that, according to the Daily Mail, read, "Stopped by to say hi! Sorry to miss you! Go Birds!"

She posted a picture of the note on X, tagging the player — and lighting up timelines across the country.

Eli Ricks Responds — With Wine

Ricks, who wasn't at the facility when Ivanka stopped by, didn't let the moment go unanswered. "My apologies," he posted in response, according to NDTV, adding, "I owe you a glass of wine now xx!" — complete with a face-palm emoji and a red wine glass.

The flirty reply reportedly racked up more than 19,000 likes and over 2 million views, while Ivanka's post featuring the note pulled in more than 5 million views of its own.

Fans didn't hold back either.

Sports, Politics, and a Wink of Romance

For a player who spent his rookie year contributing mainly on special teams, this unexpected brush with celebrity — and one of America's most recognizable political dynasties — turned into a spotlight moment. Ricks joined the team in 2023 after playing college football at LSU and Alabama, appearing in seven games his first season.

As for Ivanka, while she's long kept a lower profile during her father's second term, the viral moment shows she still knows how to command attention without saying much at all.

And let's be honest — in today's world of algorithm-driven fame, a well-timed note can go a lot further than a press release.

So, What Now?

There's no indication this lighthearted exchange is going anywhere beyond social media — Ivanka remains married to Jared Kushner and the couple shares three children.

But that hasn't stopped the internet from having a little fun with the moment. In a culture where politics and celebrity overlap more than ever, this kind of flirty footnote feels right at home.

References: Ivanka Trump's flirty note to Eagles star with crush on her | Ivanka Trump visits Eagles' locker room looking for player who called her 'beautiful' | Ivanka Trump Leaves Sweet Note In Football Player's Locker Room After He Called Her "Beautiful" | Ivanka Trump's Locker Room Note to Philadelphia Eagles Player Goes Viral