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“You the New Kicker?”; A Young Fan Once Mistook Swimming Legend Michael Phelps for an NFL Player

Published 11/23/2022, 4:43 PM EST

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Michael Phelps has achieved everything in his career. Being one of the greatest Olympians of all time, Phelps has inspired countless people around the world. But can you believe that someone of his stature wasn’t recognized by children hailing from his home city? 

Being a native of Baltimore, Michael Phelps is not only the best swimmer in the world, but also a die-hard Ravens supporter. His bromance with Raven’s great, Ray Lewis, has hit the spotlight on numerous occasions. Once, when the two stars were together, an innocent child thought Phelps played for the Baltimore Ravens. 

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Michael Phelps got a personalized jersey from his favorite team 

Michael’s love for the Baltimore Ravens is known by everyone who follows the sport. He described one incident in his autobiography of getting a personalized jersey when the Olympian was present at the practice ground of the Ravens in Westminster. “The players surprised me with a team jersey”, he wrote

via Getty

It was a true fanboy moment for Michael Phelps. For someone who has seen his favorite team since childhood, getting a personalized jersey is a huge moment. He wore that jersey when a child couldn’t recognize him. 

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In his autobiography, he describes that children thought he was a recruit for the Baltimore Ravens. A child innocently asked Phelps, “You the new kicker?” it would have certainly been the last question that Phelps was expecting. 

Michael’s fanboy moment as he met the Ravens

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Michael further describes his meeting with some of the best NFL players. He roamed around in the ground and dressing room with his close friend Ray Lewis. Ray introduced him to fellow Raven stars like Elvis Grbac, Jonathan Ogden, Jamal Lewis and Peter Boulware. 

via Getty

Michael enjoyed the NFL star’s company. Some of the players also pulled his leg. He wrote, “Some of them joked around with me. I’ll swim you, boy, a voice shouted.” Phelps received the jersey with the number 00 on the back. He was having the time of his life in that arena. “I was loving it”, the legend wrote. 

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Do you watch football? What is your favorite NFL team?

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Written by:

Shivam Sharma

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Shivam Sharma is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, he has previously worked as a writer and an anchor for Navbharat Today, penning down and explaining issues around sports, politics, and international relations. He is an admirer of Virat Kohli for the passion that he brings to the field.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas