Keke Palmer and Miami Dolphins linebacker Duke Riley sparked dating rumors on Feb. 24, after a fan gushed about her unexpected encounter with the actress. The romance speculation is stirring amid Palmer’s ongoing restraining order battle with her former boyfriend, Darius Jackson.
In the photo obtained by the Jasmine Brand, the fan could be seen smiling from ear to ear as she posed with the Akeelah and the Bee star during her chance encounter with the celeb, but social media sleuths were quick to spot Riley’s head peeping in the top right corner of the picture.
Fans pondered whether the two were in a romantic relationship. A few observant netizens promptly accused the Nope star of having a preference, noting the similarity in complexion between Riley and her previous partner, Jackson.
Palmer, 30, nor Riley, 29, have confirmed the romance chatter, but the former does appear to be a fan of the football star’s music. Off the field, Riley raps and in December he dropped his single, “Smooth Like Hitch.” In a video posted to Palmer’s Instagram account Feb. 19, the Hollywood star could be seen lip-syncing the lyrics to the catchy rap single.
Before entering the NFL, Riley played with the Louisiana State University Tigers and completed a two year stint with both the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles. He signed with the Miami Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent in 2021.
The dating rumors come amid Palmer’s restraining order battle.
News of Palmer’s alleged boo comes amid her tough custody and restraining order battle with Jackson, the father of her infant son, Leodis. In November, the famous matriarch was awarded full custody of Leodis and granted a temporary restraining order against Jackson after she accused the patriarch of physical and emotional abuse. Inside the complaint, which was filed in Los Angeles, the former Nickelodeon star claimed that Jackson assaulted her on more than one occasion. The actress also alleged that Jackson attacked her in front of their child. A month later, the fitness coach filed a response to Palmer’s petition, arguing that Palmer was the aggressor in their two-year-long relationship.
In January, Sarunas Jackson — the brother of Darius — filed a restraining order against Palmer on Jan. 19, accusing the 30-year-old actress of harassment, but his petition was swiftly denied by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. Palmer’s mother, Sharon, told Radar Online, that Sarunas’ restraining order petition was “nothing more than an attempt to clout chase and her daughter ‘never wants to see him again.’”
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