During the training camps, the cameras have spotted several marquee quarterbacks sharing quiet, off-practice moments with their significant others right on the field. The clips went viral almost instantly, and not everyone was charmed. The New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart became the latest NFL player criticized for allowing his girlfriend onto the practice field, but Marisaa Ayers wasn’t willing to let the criticism slide.
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“So it’s not like they’re hanging out like, trust me, they’re locked in. Trust me, they are locked in,” Ayers said on TikTok. “It’s literally the quickest, like, hey, love you, good job, here to support you. It’s a chance for us to be supportive before, you know, the season, this Saturday’s first preseason game. So yeah, just so much hate online and negative commentary around players.”
Earlier this week, Ayers stopped by the Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, and the couple was seen spending time together, which upset some fans.
As the clips went viral, Ayers faced heavy trolling by the fans over social media. But instead of reacting to them, she went on to reflect on the other side of the event in her GRWM (get ready with me) video on TikTok.
“It’s been so fun because I’ve been able to meet the girls, a lot of the girlfriends, the wives,” she said. “It gives us a chance to meet and just like bond.”
However, the initial viral clips were not just the candid moments shared by the players with their partners but rather a widespread marketing campaign by the league.
According to a report by Front Office Sports, Justin Herbert-Madison Beer and Joe Burrow-Olivia Ponton’s training camp romance was not just accidental coverage but a part of the league’s broader marketing campaign ahead of the upcoming NFL season.
“Videos of NFL QBs sharing moments with their significant others at training camp have gone viral in the past week,” Front Office Sports wrote on X. “Turns out, they are partly coordinated. A source close to the league tells FOS they are part of a content campaign.
With the league putting more attention on the personal side of NFL stars, training camp is becoming about more than what happens on the gridiron. Even though Dart’s moment with Ayers may have sparked criticism within the community, but her response made it clear that the brief interactions are about support, not taking players away from their work.