THE INSTAGRAM MOVE: WHAT JAKE PAUL ACTUALLY SAID IN JUTTA LEERDAM’S FIRST DM
"I can't stop crying!" Jake Paul reacts to Jutta Leerdam's historic gold medal in Milan. Discover how their romance first started.
After Jake Paul celebrated his fiancée Jutta Leerdam's Olympic gold on Monday, the story of how they first connected has come out.
Paul, who fought Anthony Joshua in a Netflix event in December, was at the Games in Milan-Cortina to watch Leerdam compete in speed skating.
Leerdam, representing the Netherlands, had won silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. But after a fall during qualifying for the 1000m event, it seemed like she might miss the 2026 Games.
Paul said his heart is broken after seeing the accident, which put her Olympic hopes in doubt.
Even so, the 27-year-old was chosen to compete. On Monday, she won a gold medal in the 1000m race with an amazing performance.
Leerdam finished in 1:12:31, setting an Olympic record and beating her fellow Dutch skater, Femke Kok. She was emotional as she finished, and so was Paul, who was seen crying as he celebrated with his family.
He posted on X, formerly Twitter: Juttttttttttaaaaaaaa. I can’t stop crying. You did it, my love. Olympic Gold. God is great, and so are you.
Paul and Leerdam made their relationship public in April 2023. But they started talking on Instagram before that.
Leerdman said that Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer, messaged her first. He asked her to be on his podcast. She had been dating Dutch speed skater Koen Verweij for five years before.
“Jake sent me a DM on Instagram and asked if I wanted to be on his podcast,” Leerdman said in the 'Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson' documentary.
“And I was like, ‘Okay, let’s do it. Can be good, can be nice.’”
She said she didn't expect a romance to happen, but she found him to be the complete opposite of what people think.
Leerdman said, 'I never expected to date him, like, never.' Of course, I didn’t know a lot about him. I could only scroll on his Instagram and form an opinionase the whole world does. But he is the complete opposite.”
They announced their engagement in March 2025 and have been there for each other's important events, from big boxing matches to the Olympics.
In the documentary, he called her the most amazing woman there is, “a superwoman and the sweetest soul in the world.
Leerdman won the 1000 m world title twice, in 2020 and 2023. She was the first person from the Netherlands to win gold at this year's event.
SUPER BOWL CLASH: TOM BRADY VS DONALD TRUMP OVER BAD BUNNY’S WILD HALFTIME SHOW
Tom Brady and Donald Trump clash over Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Discover why Brady loved it while Trump called it an "affront."
Tom Brady and President Donald Trump aren’t seeing eye to eye when it comes to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.
On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, the Seahawks ran over the Patriots, rolling to a 29-13 win and taking home the Super Bowl LX trophy. Seattle’s defence was on another level, but let’s be honest, half the country was just waiting for the halftime show. Even after the cameras cut, people kept talking about it.
Bad Bunny, straight out of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, took the stage and immediately became the centre of attention. People had already been debating whether he should headline the show, and things got even louder after he called out ICE during his Grammy speech.
His performance was wild—Caribbean colours everywhere, surprise guests, and a clear nod to his roots. He didn’t hold back on the cultural flair. People loved it, and social media blew up with praise for his set.
Trump? Not a fan. He didn’t like the idea of Bad Bunny leading the show and made sure everyone knew it. Brady, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough. He even posted a video of Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga performing together, throwing in a big “Amazing!!!!!!!!!” for good measure.
The stage was packed. Ricky Martin, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, Karol G, Young Miko, and David Grutman—they all showed up. Even Alix Earle, who’s been linked to Brady lately, made an appearance.
Meanwhile, Trump hit Truth Social with a full-on rant. He slammed the halftime show, called it “one of the worst, EVER!” and said it was an “affront” to American greatness. He complained that nobody could understand Bad Bunny, called the dancing “disgusting”, and went off about the NFL’s new kickoff rule for good measure.
While all that was going down online, Bad Bunny took the field in all white, with his last name, “Ocasio”, and the number 64 on his jersey. He opened with “Tití Me Preguntó”, striding through a set designed to look like a Puerto Rican field. The show had mashups like “Café con Ron” and “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” and at one point, Bad Bunny spiked a football into the turf. Dancers waved flags from all over Latin America—Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, and more. Then Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga joined him, sending the energy through the roof. Fotos”,
INFIELD REINFORCEMENT: DISCOVER WHY THE YANKEES TRADED FOR ATHLETICS UTILITY MAN MAX SCHUEMANN
The Yankees acquired Max Schuemann from the Athletics for Luis Burgos, DFA-ing Yanquiel Fernandez to bolster infield depth for 2026.
Pitchers and catchers are almost back—less than a week now until spring training. But teams aren’t done tinkering. The Yankees just proved it, swinging a trade with the Athletics to shore up their infield depth.
According to Bob Nightengale from USA Today, the Yankees picked up infielder Max Schuemann from Oakland in exchange for righty Luis Burgos. To make room, they’ll designate Yanquiel Fernandez for assignment.
Schuemann used to be a top prospect with the A’s, but things haven’t really clicked for him in the majors. Oakland added Andy Ibáñez and bumped Schuemann off the roster, which is when the Yankees pounced. They’re not complaining; you can never have too much infield depth.
Schuemann’s time in the big leagues has been a mixed bag. He was No. 21 on Oakland’s prospect list heading into 2024 and finally broke through to the majors that year. In his rookie season, he played a whopping 133 games, hit .220, and posted a .619 OPS. Seven home runs, 34 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases—plus, he played everywhere in the infield except first base and catcher.
Things got rough last year, though. Schuemann’s bat cooled off—he slashed just .197/.295/.273 with two homers, 13 RBIs, seven steals, and a 0.2 bWAR. Again, he bounced all over the field, but the offence just wasn’t there. The thing is, his defence is solid—a plus-8 Outs Above Average kept him around for 101 games.
The Yankees need him to hit. The glove plays, no question, but he won’t crack the 26-man roster unless his bat picks up. Realistically, Schuemann probably starts the year in the minors.
Where does he fit in New York? The Yankees have no shortage of infielders. Jazz Chisholm, Jose Caballero, and Ryan McMahon are pencilled in as starters. Don’t forget Anthony Volpe—he’ll miss the start of the season, but Aaron Boone trusts him when he’s back.
Schuemann can handle the outfield, too, but the Yankees are loaded there. Judge, Bellinger, and Grisham—they’re not moving aside. A starting role at Yankee Stadium just isn’t in the cards for Schuemann.
Still, he’s got a shot at a bench job. With his versatility and strong glove, he could edge out some of New York’s other utility guys. Amed Rosario and Oswaldo Cabrera are in the mix as well, so it won’t be easy.
Bottom line: Schuemann will get his chance this spring. If he hits, he’s got a real shot at making the team. If not, well, there’s always room for solid defence and versatility, but he’ll have to earn it.