Woman’s basketball sensation Caitlin Clark turned 23 on Jan. 22, and the whole sports world joined in to celebrate the trailblazer. Here’s what Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice had to say to one of the franchise’s biggest fans.
Rashee Rice Leaves 4-Word Message for Caitlin Clark on Her 23rd Birthday
Rice posted an Instagram story of a jersey swap with the WNBA All-Star on her birthday, captioned, “Happy Cake Day CC!” The NFL wide receiver met the then-Iowa star on the sidelines when she attended their Christmas Day game in 2023.
Rashee Rice wishes Caitlin Clark a happy birthday pic.twitter.com/ZEvZAksfDb
— BBQ Chiefs (@BBQChiefs) January 22, 2025
Clark revealed the origins of her Chiefs fandom during an appearance on the ManningCast for a game against the Eagles last season. She remarked that she came from a family of Chiefs fans, including her father, brother, and some cousins.
Despite growing up in Iowa, the Hawkeyes legend was in a house with a Chiefs vending machine in her basement. She also talked about her yearly tradition of watching a Chiefs game in Kansas City with her cousins.
Clark turned heads during her appearance at a VIP box alongside Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium. The duo watched Travis Kelce and the Chiefs secure a 23-14 Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans.
Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark taking in the Chiefs game together 🤝#HOUvsKC | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/U5EQAwg3WV
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 18, 2025
Her 20-second clip talking to the world’s most renowned woman in music made the rounds all across social media. Fans made jokes of all sorts, including some banter about her WNBA peers’ treatment of Clark.
The WNBA social media account needed to post “Just our Rookie of the Year and 1st Team all WNBA Caitlin Clark enjoying the Kansas City Chiefs game with Taylor Swift.” Of course doing that would have the players jealous of CC throwing a tantrum. https://t.co/4Tbu5R2gMi pic.twitter.com/OlYw2e5FAc
— Andy froemel (@FroemelAndy) January 20, 2025
The duo’s presence at the game undoubtedly helped ESPN with its ratings, as it set a network record. 32.7 million viewers tuned in to watch this game, the highest audience ever for a Saturday afternoon Divisional Round clash.
Clark herself has made a splash in the basketball world. Her entry into the WNBA has been correlated to the league becoming a part of America’s mainstream sports conversation. Her exploits on the court, both for the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Indiana Fever, have helped women’s basketball grow nationally and internationally.
