Cleveland Browns rookie tight end Joe Royer is facing widespread social media criticism after reports and photos surfaced detailing his relationship with Rilee Hope Stepp, the 18-year-old daughter of his former college position coach.
Royer, 24, a fifth-round pick (No. 170 overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati, has come under scrutiny following the rapid spread of the story across X and Instagram beginning June 1. Stepp, a recent high school graduate, is the daughter of Josh Stepp, who served as Royer’s tight ends coach during his final two seasons at Cincinnati.
According to posts and images circulating online, Royer attended Stepp’s high school graduation in Louisville, appearing in family photos from the celebration. Additional images from the 2025 college football season show Stepp wearing Royer’s Cincinnati Bearcats jersey at games. Reports also include alleged screenshots of Royer interacting with her social media content while she was 17.
The six-year age gap, combined with the coach’s daughter dynamic and the timing of the relationship so soon after her high school graduation, has sparked heated debate online. Critics have labeled the situation “creepy” and raised questions about professional boundaries and power imbalances, particularly given Royer’s close relationship with Coach Stepp, whom he has publicly credited with revitalizing his football career after transferring from Ohio State.
Reactions have been sharply divided. While many have condemned the optics of the pairing, others have defended the relationship, pointing out that Stepp is a legal adult and that there appears to be family awareness, with Coach Stepp himself sharing photos that included Royer at the graduation events.
As of Tuesday, June 2, neither Royer, the Cleveland Browns, the Stepp family, nor Rilee Stepp has issued a public statement on the matter. The story has been driven almost entirely by social media, with accounts such as @NFL_DovKleiman helping accelerate its spread through shared photos and details.
Royer, listed at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, is entering his first NFL season with the Browns. The 24-year-old has yet to comment publicly on his personal life as he prepares for training camp. Similar stories involving young athletes often generate significant online attention during the NFL’s slower offseason period before typically fading unless new developments emerge.
