Haliey Welch, known as the “Hawk Tuah” girl, made headlines earlier this week when she hinted that her mystery boyfriend might be none other than Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Welch’s teaser sent fans into a frenzy, eagerly trying to connect the dots between her clues and the NFL star.
In a teaser for the next episode of her podcast, Welch announced that she would finally reveal the identity of her boyfriend, who she affectionately calls “Pookie.”
The teaser included an image of Sam Darnold, leading many to believe that the veteran quarterback was the mystery man all along.
The speculation spread quickly, and fans were eager to tune in to see if the rumors were true.
However, in the latest episode of her podcast, released today, Welch revealed the true identity of her boyfriend—and it wasn’t Sam Darnold. Borrowing a famous line from the legendary Maury Povich, Welch playfully declared, “Sam Darnold is NOT the Pookie.”
Instead, Welch introduced her boyfriend, Kelby, a non-celebrity who prefers to live a quiet, small-town lifestyle. Kelby admitted that he has tried to stay out of the spotlight, and Welch shared that they both enjoy a down-to-earth life away from the glitz and glam of the entertainment world.
The revelation may have come as a surprise to some, but it became clear that Welch and Kelby are happy living their private life together.
Though the Sam Darnold teaser may have been a bit of a red herring, it certainly succeeded in boosting the viewership for Welch’s podcast episode. Fans who had been following the speculation were finally able to get their answer—and it turns out that the NFL quarterback is not her mystery man after all.
In fact, Sam Darnold is already in a happy relationship, and his girlfriend has now been revealed following the rumors surrounding Welch. Darnold is dating Katie Hoofnagle, and the couple has shared several posts together on social media.
Recently, they posted photos of their fun Halloween celebration, where they dressed up as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake in matching denim outfits—a nod to the iconic look from the early 2000s.
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On the field, things are also going well for Darnold. The former 2018 first-round pick has been a feel-good story for the Vikings this season. Darnold is completing 68.6 percent of his pass attempts for 2,141 yards, with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
His performance has helped Minnesota achieve a 7-2 record, tying them with the Philadelphia Eagles for the second-best record in the NFC.
With the Vikings in playoff contention, Darnold’s resurgence has been a bright spot for the franchise. Barring a late-season collapse, Minnesota looks set to make their return to the postseason for the second time in three years, and Darnold’s role in their success has been instrumental.
While the speculation around Haliey Welch and Sam Darnold may have turned out to be just a playful misdirection, it ultimately provided some entertaining drama for fans.
Welch is happily dating Kelby, while Darnold and Hoofnagle continue to share their relationship on social media. As the season progresses, both Welch and Darnold seem to be thriving in their respective personal and professional lives.
