Team USA women’s hockey team captured the gold medal in a dramatic overtime victory over Canada that will be remembered for generations. This talented roster included athletes like Laila Edwards, the 22-year-old defenseman from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, whose historic presence on the ice made her the first Black woman to play hockey for the United States at the Olympics. And this captured the attention of Travis and Jason Kelce, who were proud of her.

The NFL brothers, both Cleveland Heights natives, had followed Edwards’ journey long before Milan, and on the latest episode of their New Heights podcast, they made sure their hometown hero received her flowers. “Shout out to Layla one more time for bringing home some gold to not only the USA, but the old Heights, baby, because you know how proud we all are once you grow up in the Heights,” Travis said. Jason nodded in agreement, adding simply, “No doubt.”

Edwards’ performance throughout the gold medal game was nothing short of defining. With Team USA trailing 1-0 and time slipping away in the third period, it was the 22-year-old who fired a shot from the blue line that captain Hilary Knight tipped past Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens with just 2:04 remaining. This assist forced overtime, eventually leading to a historic moment for Team USA.

Indeed, Megan Keller’s goal at 4:07 sealed the victory, and with it, Edwards’ place in the annals of the sport. Across the entire tournament, the Team USA defenseman finished with two goals and six assists for eight points in seven games, tied for third in overall scoring.

And the Kelce brothers have always been supportive of Edwards. When her father, Robert, launched a GoFundMe campaign titled “Send Laila’s Family to the Olympics to Cheer Her On!”, he set a modest $50,000 goal to cover airfare, lodging, and transportation for family members who had sacrificed so much over the years.

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“There’s a lot of ups and downs in playing hockey at this high level and so she’s going to need somebody there. So I was like, ‘Well, pride be damned: we’re going to do a fundraiser,'” Edwards’ father explained.

Then came the $10,000 solely from the NFL brothers, with Travis reaching out to her to provide some advice. Eventually, the family received donations of over $60,000.

“Oh my goodness. I was going to find words to describe the gratitude and appreciation. But I haven’t yet,” said her mother, Charone Gray-Edwards. Her father, Robert, gave a straightforward answer, stating, “We’re humbled by it.”

However, her link to the Kelce brothers goes back a few years.

Way before she became a gold medalist for Team USA

Both Travis and Jason Kelce first shouted out Laila Edwards on their podcast in November 2023 when she made the senior national team, and it was a moment that she will never forget.

“When I first made the national team, they shouted me out on their podcast for being the first Black woman to play on the team. I thought, ‘I’ll just message them, thanking them, they’ll never see it.’ And then Travis and I had a full conversation over DM, and that was super cool… he was a really down-to-earth, humble guy who was super supportive and had really good things to say,” she recalled, during an interview with People.

The exchange made a lasting impression on the young athlete, who then went on to make history on the sport’s grandest stage. “They shouted me out again recently for making the Olympic team!” Edwards said.

As Edwards stood on the Olympic podium, the gold medal gleaming against her chest, the journey from Cleveland Heights to Milan felt complete. She had made history with Team USA, delivered when her country needed her most, and done so with her entire family watching from the stands, thanks in no small part to two NFL brothers who never forgot where they came from.