Robert Irwin reacts to the growing wave of fans who passionately ship him with Xochitl Gomez after “Dancing with the Stars” 20th Anniversary Birthday Celebration. As their partnership continues to captivate viewers, Irwin was asked on video by TMZ about whether the fan-favored pairing could exist off the dance floor. Instead of shutting down the ship, he leaned into the excitement with warm praise and playful evasiveness, which only encouraged fans to keep rooting for the duo.
When Irwin arrived for rehearsal in Los Angeles, photographers immediately brought up the fan movement that celebrates him and Gomez as a potential couple. Fans have filled social media with edits, commentary threads, and reactions to their heartfelt partnership. When asked whether anything romantic existed between them, Irwin responded with a bright smile and highlighted their strong creative connection instead.
He said he and Gomez “had the best time” working on their recent dances and described one routine as soft and emotional and the other as upbeat, joyful, and full of energy. Irwin carefully avoided giving a clear answer about their off-camera relationship. By choosing not to deny the ship outright, he kept the conversation alive and gave fans even more reason to believe their chemistry extends beyond performance.
The shipping movement grew even stronger after Irwin and Gomez delivered a standout Dance Relay routine on “Dancing with the Stars.” Fans pointed to that specific performance as the moment their connection became impossible to ignore. The routine showcased their natural ease, synchronized movements, and expressive storytelling. That jive created a spark that viewers immediately latched onto and celebrated across social platforms.
Coverage noted that fans already shipped them after that performance, and Irwin’s recent comments tied directly back to that moment. When he described how much fun they had during both dances, he acknowledged the energy fans saw onstage. His decision to focus on the joy of the performance rather than deny the ship kept viewers invested. The Dance Relay cemented their dynamic in the eyes of fans, and Irwin’s reaction only strengthened the narrative
Even with the growing attention, Irwin continues to prioritize the competition and keeps his focus locked on winning the Mirrorball trophy. He approaches rehearsals with discipline, praises Gomez’s talent and work ethic, and stays committed to delivering powerful performances each week. His dedication shows that he values the partnership for its artistic strength while fully embracing the fun that comes with fan excitement.
Gomez meets his commitment with equal drive and creativity. Their shared energy, humor, and support for each other fuel their on-camera magic. Fans see that natural connection and push the ship with enthusiasm, especially when neither star denies the possibility of something deeper. Their genuine camaraderie keeps viewers invested, and every rehearsal clip and live routine gives the fandom even more to talk about.
The Green Bay Packers saw quite a few roster changes during the free agency period ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
The team saw cornerback Jaire Alexander and running back AJ Dillon leave in free agency, as well as center Josh Myers and offensive tackle Andre Dillard, among others.
In turn, they spent some money by signing cornerback Nate Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million deal. They also signed guard Aaron Banks to a four-year deal worth $77 million.
Both of those moves look to be questionable amid the regular season. Hobbs was benched in October, and Banks has also not played well and has missed time due to various injuries.
Banks was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he cashed in big time in what was labeled as a “high-priced deal” at the time.
Entering Week 11, Daniel Popper of The Athletic regraded some of the free agent signings, and the Banks deal received a failing grade.
At the time, paying that much money for Banks was a questionable decision by Green Bay.
Pro Football Focus labeled Banks as an “overpaid” free agent when the contract was announced, and now, Popper questions the deal.
“The Packers made Banks the fifth-highest-paid left guard in the league,” Popper wrote. “This deal did not make sense at the time. It still does not make sense. Banks has battled numerous injuries this year — ankle, groin, knee, neck. He has been limited to just 57.3 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps. When he has been on the field, Banks has struggled as a run blocker. He lacks physicality and power off the ball. He gives up too much ground in pass protection, and his shaky anchor has led to collapsing pockets for quarterback Jordan Love.”
The initial grade in the offseason was a C+, but Popper has now given the Banks deal an F grade.
Banks has been the starting left guard for Green Bay, but injuries and inconsistent play make this deal look even more puzzling.
For starters, the crushing injury to Elgton Jenkins is a tough blow for the Packers. Looking ahead to 2026, Jenkins could be released for financial reasons, and both Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan are free agents going into the offseason.
Moreover, the costly price tag of Banks makes things tricky for Green Bay. Jon Meerdink of Acme Packing Company even expressed concern going forward due to the Banks’ signing.
“That leaves the Packers almost no choice but to build around Banks for the next couple of years, putting an expensive liability at the center of their offensive line plans during what should be a window of Super Bowl contention,” Meerdink wrote.
“This is a problem the Packers literally can’t afford. Banks’ performance is hindering the offense the Packers want to run, and his contract will hinder their roster building in the future,” he added.
At this point, both the Hobbs and Banks signings from the past free agency period look like massive misses.