Tom Brady and Cooper DeJean Linked to Age-Gap Romances With Alix Earle, Nikki Garcia

Things got hot at a New Year’s Eve party on the exclusive Caribbean island of St. Barths. As an onlooker took video, NFL GOAT turned sports commentator Tom Brady could be seen cozying up to the much-younger influencer Alix Earle.

“They didn’t care who was watching,” a source tells Star. “Tom and Alix were all over each other. The PDA was off the charts.” The 25-year-old “couldn’t keep her hands off” the seven-time Super Bowl champ, 48, adds the source. “She was rubbing his back really affectionately and he kept leaning in, whispering in her ear.” At one point, says the source, “it looked like they kissed.”

Tom isn’t the only NFL star making headlines for an age-gap romance. Cooper DeJean also appears to have met someone new. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that the Philadelphia Eagles defensive back, 22, is dating 20-years-older Nikki Garcia. “Cooper’s definitely buzzing to have such a glamorous and high-profile lady in his life,” an insider says of the Total Divas star. “He’s a big fan of her WWE career and grew up crushing on her for the longest time, so it’s hugely flattering — and kind of surreal.”

The Rookie

It all started with an Instagram Reel. On Dec. 16, Nikki posted a video from her trip to Philadelphia. “So blessed for the people around me, new friends and old, who make life so special and fun,” the wrestler wrote in the caption. But it was the clip of her posing in front of Cooper’s locker before the Eagles took on the Las Vegas Raiders at home that had everyone talking. Nikki only fueled the romance rumors when she posted another video to Instagram on Dec. 28 of herself walking into Lincoln Financial Field, dressed in what else — a DeJean jersey.

“Nikki and Cooper have been hanging out and hooking up for a while now,” Star’s insider confirms. “It’s going well.” However, “they’re both keen to play down suggestions that it’s getting serious,” the insider notes. “The line they’re telling people is that they’re having fun and going with the flow.” That being said, Nikki — who went through an ugly split from DWTS pro Artem Chigvintsev, dad to her son, Matteo, 5, in 2024 — is “extremely smitten,” says the insider. “It was quite a statement for her to wear his jersey to a couple of Eagles games. To a lot of folks, it seemed like her way of announcing their status.”

The Vet

Alix, who shares her life with her 5.4 million followers on Insta, has landed herself quite the catch, too. “Tom is her dream guy, no question,” says the insider. “He’s got it all, in terms of his superstar status and good looks.” The Dancing With the Stars alum is also coming off a breakup, having recently split from boyfriend of more than two years, Houston Texans wide receiver Braxton Berrios. “Everyone knows Tom’s one of — if not the — most eligible bachelors on the planet right now,” says the insider. “Anyone who dates Tom would see their own profile boosted exponentially, and that’s a big draw for Alix.” It would also be a huge snub to Braxton, 30, admits the insider, “which carries a lot of appeal, even though she’s not known to be a petty character.”

Once news of their steamy night got out, however, the source says Tom saw some red flags. “He was just having fun with Alix and didn’t appreciate how quickly rumors spread,” reveals the insider. “Some in his world think the leaking of the video was pretty suspicious.” It’s not the first time the former New England Patriot has found his dating life playing out in the press since his 2022 split from Gisele Bündchen after 13 years and two kids together. (She recently wed her jiujitsu trainer and dad to her third child, Joaquim Valente.) “The rumors do annoy him,” the insider says of reports linking Tom to Kim Kardashian in 2023 and Sydney Sweeney in 2025. “He’s very wary of women who clearly want to use him and his fame level to boost their own star power,” dishes the insider. “Tom knows there are a lot of gold diggers out there, but hopefully, Alix doesn’t fall into this category.”