Alix Earle Breaks Silence On Relationship Rumors After 'DWTS' Finale Sparks Questions

Alix Earle is shutting down speculation about her relationship with NFL star Braxton Berrios after fans noticed he was absent from the "Dancing With the Stars" Season 34 finale. The influencer and "Hot Mess" podcaster, who made it all the way to the finale of the hit ABC competition series, sparked concern online when viewers realized her boyfriend did not attend the live taping in Los Angeles on November 25. Earle, who has spent months captivating audiences with her partnership with Val Chmerkovskiy, posted a “post-‘DWTS’ debrief” on TikTok over the weekend, and that’s where fans started dropping breakup questions. But the 24-year-old quickly set the record straight.

In the comments of her latest TikTok, a fan wrote, “Ugh, I hope you and Braxton are still together,” expressing the concern many viewers had after noticing his absence.

Earle replied directly, writing, “He couldn’t come bc of football :(.”

Berrios, who plays wide receiver for the Houston Texans, had a jam-packed NFL schedule that conflicted with the "DWTS" finale. He had a home game against the Buffalo Bills on November 20 and an away game versus the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, making a cross-country trip to L.A. nearly impossible.

Earle and Berrios were first linked in May 2023 after the NFL star ended his relationship with ex Sophia Culpo. The two officially hard-launched their romance in October of that year in celebration of Berrios’ 28th birthday, instantly becoming one of social media’s favorite influencer-athlete pairings.

Though he couldn’t be at the "DWTS" finale physically, Berrios still sent his support. During the finale, a pre-recorded message from the NFL star aired, with him saying, “I’ve watched you pour everything into this since the moment it started, and I think it shows. Good luck. Have fun, babe.”

Despite not taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, which went to Robert Irwin and partner Witney Carson, Earle walked away grateful for the experience and for the bond she built with Chmerkovskiy.

"Being able to dance every day has been so amazing, so fulfilling and therapeutic," she told E! News. "And then just like having such a good best friend along the way, who constantly uplifts me and supports me every day, is just so nice."

Val Chmerkovskiy is clearing the air about speculation surrounding his partnership with Alix Earle on "Dancing With the Stars." In a new interview with Parade, the longtime pro opened up about the fan chatter that suggested he and the TikTok star weren’t getting along during the early weeks of the competition.

Chmerkovskiy said he sees fan commentary as a “double-edged sword,” explaining, “We want to be celebrated and watched and enjoyed by many, many people. That’s why we’re entertaining. But having said that, I’d be very naïve to think that every single thing I’m going to hear is going to be positive or accurate, even.”

Some of that feedback centered on his dynamic with Earle, which viewers speculated was tense, potentially a result of Chmerkovskiy’s famously tough-love teaching style. But the pro dancer insists the truth is far less dramatic.

“I think that my approach, one of the reasons why I’m still on the show 20 seasons later, besides my expertise or mastery in the craft, I think part of it is the way I show up, and I show up authentically myself,” he told the outlet. “I am not somebody that’s going to become best friends with somebody inauthentically.”

While he admitted it “took time to build trust” and “took time for us to be comfortable around each other,” Chmerkovskiy said the shift became clear as the season progressed. He believes fans have recently noticed the “warmth and comfort” between them on and off the dance floor.

“There’s also a level of respect that I have for Alix, and she has for me, and we have for this process,” Chmerkovskiy added. “And I think that’s what people misconstrued in the beginning, is that respect that we have for each other in this process, that we still maintain throughout.”

Even without the Mirrorball, Earle leaves the ballroom with a strengthened relationship, a newfound confidence, and the unwavering support of both her partner and her partner on the dance floor.