Genie Bouchard's Super Bowl Tweet Leads to Unexpected Date
A Playful Prediction Turns into a Viral Moment
In February 2017, Canadian tennis player Genie Bouchard made headlines with a lighthearted tweet during Super Bowl LI, where the New England Patriots faced off against the Atlanta Falcons. While watching the game at home with her family, Bouchard predicted an Atlanta victory. This prediction coincided with one of the most remarkable comebacks in NFL history, sparking widespread discussion in the sports community.
During a recent appearance on The Ok Sweetie Show, Bouchard recounted that fateful evening, describing it as a quiet night spent on the couch with her mother and younger brother. She recalled, “I had no exciting Super Bowl plans, and it was a blowout. The Falcons were dominating the Patriots, so I tweeted, ‘I knew Atlanta would win.’ That stirred up some excitement, and a guy responded, ‘If the Patriots come back, let’s go on a date.’” At that moment, the Falcons were leading 28-3 at the end of the third quarter, a seemingly insurmountable lead.
“When I tweeted ‘Sure’ to his date proposal, the score was still 28-3,” she noted. “It seemed impossible for the Patriots to come back, but then it became known as the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.” The Patriots ultimately triumphed with a 34-28 win in overtime, marking a historic moment in sports.
By the next day, Bouchard's tweet had gone viral, leading to a flurry of messages from friends worldwide, including her uncle in England, who informed her that she was a top story on the BBC. “I had to go through with it. We attended a Nets game courtside in Brooklyn, and NBA TV documented our date. He gifted me Tiffany earrings, which was really sweet,” she shared. “People loved it because it was a feel-good story amidst all the negativity in the news.”
At that time, Bouchard was in a relationship, and the attention surrounding the date created some tension, leading to the couple's eventual breakup. Despite not pursuing a romantic relationship, Bouchard and the Twitter user maintained a friendship for several years. “He was someone I could have potentially dated. He was younger than me but cute. I wasn’t looking to date him seriously, but it was fun, and we kept in touch,” she explained. “We experienced a unique event together, which created a bond between us.”
Nearly ten years later, this incident remains a memorable and lighthearted moment in sports history. A simple tweet during a Super Bowl turned into a global sensation, a courtside NBA date, and a story that continues to resonate with Bouchard long after the game ended.