Meet Ilona Maher, the viral star of the Paris Olympics

NFL training camps are underway in America, and clips of incredible throws and great grabs are slowly trickling in from intrasquad practices. Teams are just putting on the pads, so no real hitting is going on.

When NFL squads do start hitting, they will be hardpressed to top The Stiff Arm Seen Around the World.

That play, perhaps the biggest viral moment of the Paris Olympics so far, occurred Sunday, and it came courtesy of one forceful shove by Ilona Maher on the USA women’s rugby sevens team. The move was reminiscent of former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch’s iconic stiff arm during his memorable 67-yard touchdown run in the playoffs for the Seattle Seahawks.

The play made Lynch an immediate star. Maher’s moment had the same effect, with video of her stiff arm lighting up social media.

Maher continued to trend on Monday afternoon as the top search on Google. New fans want to know more about her. Well, here’s a quick bio on Maher:

The 27-year-old is from Vermont and played rugby at Quinnipiac University, where she was an All-American player on three championship teams and won the sport’s version of the Heisman Trophy, the MA Sorensen Award, as the nation’s top female rugby player in 2017. She made her Olympic debut for the U.S. at the Tokyo Games, and she stands 5-foot-10 despite what her intimidating presence may appear on the field.

Maher was a social media star before the Paris Games. She has 1.6 million followers on TikTok, where she first attracted attention with humorous, behind-the-scenes videos at the Tokyo Olympics. She also has 1.5 million followers on Instagram.

In Paris, Maher is documenting her experience in the Athletes Village, shedding light on the food she’s eating and the people she’s meeting. She’s sure to gain more followers now that the Americans remain in the mix for the gold medal. On Monday, they stunned Great Britain to earn their first-ever trip to the Olympic semifinals.

Cheering on the U.S. will be Maher’s newest, biggest fan — former Philadelphia Eagles star center Jason Kelce.

The recently retired Kelce is in France to watch the Olympics, and after seeing Maher’s epic stiff arm, he had to meet her in person. Of course, the moment was captured on TikTok.

“I am officially a fan of women’s rugby,” Kelce declared amid approving cheers.

Kelce isn’t the only rugby sevens neophyte who’s happily discovered the sport and its most fascinating star from Vermont.