Kelly Clarkson’s Wildly Relatable Reaction to Hailee Steinfeld’s Fiancé Josh Allen
Kelly Clarkson appears just as thrilled as everyone else about actress Hailee Steinfeld’s engagement to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Fans have been gushing over the couple ever since the Bumblebee star perfectly timed Allen’s proposal, but Clarkson’s enthusiasm may come from a slightly more personal place. During a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, where Steinfeld stopped by to promote her upcoming film Sinners (set to release on April 18, 2025), the talk show host shared her heartfelt congratulations—and then explained her deeper reason for loving the NFL star. As Clarkson put it:
“Josh was actually my quarterback on my fantasy football team, and he crushed it for me,” Clarkson said. “So make sure you tell him, ‘Thank you, you badass motherf—er!’”
Naturally, the swear words were censored for Kelly Clarkson’s daytime TV audience, but the fire in her eyes and the fist pump she threw toward Hailee Steinfeld made it crystal clear what she said — and how much she meant it.
It’s a reaction that any fantasy football player can relate to. To outsiders, it might seem silly, but once you’ve set your lineup and watched your players light up the scoreboard, it starts to feel personal. Clarkson didn’t mention how her fantasy team ultimately placed, but as someone who’s claimed a league title or two (pausing for applause…), I can definitely say I’d jump at the chance to thank a player’s girlfriend, fiancée, mom — whoever — if they helped lead my team to glory.
And Kelly wasn’t just talking the talk — she looked the part too, proudly rocking a Buffalo Bills jacket. Hailee Steinfeld was all in, cheering Clarkson on as the host explained how she’d found her new football allegiance, saying:
“I’m a Cowboys girl,” Clarkson said, “but when I move somewhere, I like to pick a local team — and there’s technically three here, but really, there’s just one. And it’s the Bills.”
It’s only natural that Kelly Clarkson’s move to New York would lead her to adopt a local team, and with the Bills currently outperforming both the Jets and the Giants, it’s a pretty easy choice. Plus, cheering for Buffalo now comes with the added bonus of supporting one of pop culture’s favorite couples — Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen.
The duo got engaged in December 2024, roughly 18 months after they began dating. Throughout the season, Allen often credited Steinfeld for being a steady source of support. And while the Bills fell short of a Super Bowl appearance, Allen capped off a stellar campaign by winning the NFL MVP — a moment during which he made sure to thank his fiancée once again during his acceptance speech.