Sydney Thomas, the ring girl who shot to fame during Mike Tyson’s bout with Jake Paul, recently shared that an SEC football coach tried to flirt with her through social media. Thomas, a 21-year-old student at the University of Alabama, went viral and became an overnight sensation after the Tyson-Paul fight in November.
Following her rise to stardom, she was flooded with business offers from a large number of brands and, apparently, caught the attention of college football’s elite as well. Speaking on the Like A Farmer Podcast, Thomas answered a range of questions, including one about the “wildest DM” she has received since her appearance at the Paul fight.
Flirting With the Viral Girl
She answered: “It was from another SEC football team coach and they just DM’d me: ‘Roll Tide’.” However, Thomas would not reveal the coach’s identity. “I’m not going to say what coach it was but they’re an Alabama fan – now at least.”
In the clip, humorously titled ‘college coach shooting his shot’, Thomas laughed and said, “We’ll let everyone figure that out for themselves who it was.”
The Tuscaloosa native has since amassed over 1 million followers on TikTok and nearly a million on Instagram—all while continuing her studies at the University of Alabama.
Last month, Sydney Thomas traded the boxing ring for the basketball court, attending her very first NBA game in Atlanta.
The ring girl, who gained widespread attention during the Tyson-Paul fight, enjoyed a VIP treatment as the Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Miami Heat at State Farm Arena.
The Hawks posted a photo of her seated courtside during the game, which Thomas later shared, adding the caption: “First NBA game” with a checkmark emoji.
Overnight Star
She also thanked her fans for their support on Instagram, where she has more than 400,000 followers. “I woke up to an overwhelming amount of love and support from all of you,” Thomas took to Instagram to write a story, with a heart emoji added to the end of the message.
“I can’t thank you guys enough or begin to express how grateful I am. I love you all — thank you for your kind words.”
However, Sydney gained attention even before the fight. She was first captured on camera during the weigh-in when Tyson landed a punch on Jake Paul’s face.
Sydney was one of the ring girls on stage. The image of the moment has been shared so widely that, in the end, the attention has shifted to the American model rather than the punch itself.
