A 12-year-old football player from Fort Worth, Texas has sent the internet into a frenzy due to his size and mature appearance.
Jeremiah Johnson, 12, became an overnight viral sensation after he appeared to be sporting facial hair and a tattoo in a photo from the 2022 Youth National Championships in Miami, where he was hailed as the MVP, per the New York Post.
In the viral photo, Johnson, a running back for Dallas Dragons Elite Academy (DEA), can be seen holding up a trophy that reads “12U Division 1 Most Valuable Player."
Generation NEXXT, a national youth sports school and network in Florida, posted photos of Johnson, identifying him as a 12-under football player. Johnson also confirmed in a separate video that he is indeed 12.
Still, many social media users aren't convinced of the running back's preteen status.
Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill tweeted, “If that 12-year-old really 12 my son not playing football, these kids built different.”
"I demand Jeremiah Johnson's birth certificate. And not the "I am 12" kind from the Benchwarmers," another Twitter user said.
Shana Evans, who is reportedly Johnson’s mom, shared a photo of him on Facebook, saying “Check my baby out…. balling out @ Nationals!!!”
As the 12-year-old garnered national attention, Evans said Monday (December 12) in a follow-up Facebook post: “Before I lay down I just want y’all to know…. my baby going viral. These folks is going in… SO…. Yes he’s on 12U (he meets ALL of the requirements. No the tattoo isn’t real (duh). Yes the goatee is tho.”
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