At Monday's Los Angeles Chargers-Dallas Cowboys game, a young woman by the name of Merrianne Do went viral for her reactions in the stands.
She was initially mistaken for a league plant or even an AI bot, but was later found to be a pharmacist at Walgreens and a very passionate Chargers fan who has a season ticket. But she was not originally one.
Do told TMZ that her roots lay in Minnesota:
"I grew up in Minnesota before moving to California almost 20 years ago. I don't think you have to be a single-team fan. I love my Chargers and I'm not gonna deny my Vikings. At the end of the day, yes, I've been a Vikings fan, I've been through that journey as a Vikings fan and still am, but I'm here in LA for the past 20 years."
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Viral Chargers superfan Merrianne Do speaks up on newfound fame
Less than 24 hours after the game, ESPN gave Do her big media break, inviting her to The Pat McAfee Show, where she emphatically refuted claims of being a Roger Goodell mole.
"All the moms text me asking, 'Why are people saying you are a fake? This is how you are!' I guess my poor kids have to deal with this every day but now, it is crazy that the world thinks this is different because my kids have dealt with this in their lives," Do said.
She further explained to TMZ:
"If [the skeptics] only knew this is how I am every day. My kids are like, 'Mommy, this is how you are at my flag football game, why do they think you're getting paid?' I'm like. 'I know, but they don't know me.'"
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley reacts to loss vs Cowboys
As Merrianne Do is relishing the attention she is getting, Brandon Staley is licking his wounds after a narrow defeat. During the post-game press conference, he said (via NBC Sports):
“It was 20-17 between two really good teams. We can learn from how we played at the finish in order to close it out. I just think we’ve got to play the game a little more on our terms. I think it starts with protecting the passer better through the run game, keepers, action, making sure those guys don’t get their ears pinned back and they’re able to get off the rock, because they have a lot of good rushers there.”
The Los Angeles Chargers-Kansas City Chiefs game will be held on Sunday, October 22, beginning at 4:25 pm ET.
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