When Deion Sanders was reportedly seen walking hand in hand with 37-year-old Karrueche Tran outside a Los Angeles restaurant for the first time in February this year, it was nothing less than eyebrow-raising. Mostly because no one expected it. With a college football schedule wrapped as tightly as it was, what surprised fans was Sanders’ commitment to some good ‘ol romance. But, like they say, love comes to you when you least expect it.

While we are yet to get an official confirmation from either party about the legitimacy of the claims, that doesn’t mean people aren’t curious. In fact, isn’t the heightened attention the most probable outcome of being associated with college football royalty? Well, definitely. And that’s exactly why Tran’s found herself at the forefront of public attention again—this time for her Pride Month postings.

The actress and model, best known for her role in the series Claws and her high-profile past relationship with singer Chris Brown, commemorated the first day of the month on her IG story. Resharing a post from Diet Prada, Tran wrote in her update, “be who you areeeeeeee for yeerrr priiiiiiide 🌈🌈🌈🌈 HAPPY PRIDE MONTHHHHH,” while the original post showed a store worker show up with a balloon, a pack of Skittles and a rainbow cake to give it the person recording the video. 

But amid the wholesome exchange, we’re sure you’re wondering who exactly Karrueche Tran is. Well, for the unversed: Tran first gained recognition for her portrayal of Vivian Johnson in the web series The Bay. She also became the first person of Asian Pacific American descent to win the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program(2021). Then in 2022, the 37-year-old also took on hosting duties for Upcycle Nation, a show based on sustainable fashion, before becoming one of the co-stars of the MTV show Ridiculousness. However, as much success as she’s garnered, Tran’s run-ins with struggles have also been ample.

There was a time when Deion Sanders’ rumored girlfriend was bogged down by her insecurities. “I’ve dealt with self-esteem and self-image issues. I’ve accepted who I am with my body. It took a while for me to do that. If people learn to accept who they are, that they don’t have to be perfect, that they don’t have to look a certain way, that we’re all individually different, that is OK. I just think things would be much, much better.”

While Tran’s social media moves have now become a hot topic of discussion, she chose to further stir the pot with a cryptic message.  

Deion Sanders is said to shift his focus from his sons to matters of the heart

Is Deion and Tran’s romance an instance of ‘love at first sight’ like Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson? Well no. The duo has been acquaintances for quite some time now. A former co-host of 106 & Park, Tran has previously worked with Deion through projects produced by his ex-fiancée, Tracey Edmonds. Going by the speculations, the connection may have stemmed from Games People Play, a series executive-produced by Edmonds. Then what might have taken them so long for their love to bloom?

Well, right now things are a bit difficult for Coach Prime as he is now relieved of the duties of molding his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, into NFL material. Now that they have left their father’s nest, Deion can finally focus on his personal life and that’s where Tran enters the conversation. The ‘Claws’ actress turned 37 on May 17. She posted an IG story with a cryptic caption. It read, “Very different birthday this year, but I am blessed, grateful, and full of abundance.”

Fans are now speculating whether the entry of Deion Sanders in Tran’s life is making it look “different” this time. What do you think?