The world is full of viral videos, which is undoubtedly cool…at any given moment, you can see something absolutely mindblowing at the press of a button. And these videos can transform everyday people into major internet stars. But because of the constant deluge of new videos, it can be difficult to keep track of yesterday’s viral stars.
For example, remember the young football prodigy Blaze? His real name is Rudolph Ingram Jr., but his amazing football skills earned him the nickname “Blaze the Great.” It’s been a hot minute since he first wowed us all with his athletic prowess, so we decided to see what this sports legend is up to now.
How did Blaze rise to fame? What is he doing now and what does the future hold? Keep reading to find out!
The young football star’s viral rise to fame
There has never been any shortage of sports prodigies throughout history. Now, though, we get to see the best of the best show off their skills in eye-popping video recordings. That’s what happened with young Blaze: instead of just quietly cultivating his football skills, he uploaded recordings of his amazing feats to the internet.
At the tender age of seven, Blaze managed to complete the 100-meter dash in only 13.48 seconds, which was enough to put him in the record books. His astounding speed didn’t go unnoticed, either. In fact, it wasn’t long before he caught the attention of some major sports stars.
Getting attention from some major sports legends
As we talked about earlier, it’s easy to forget yesterday’s viral stars when the latest crop of crazy videos hits the internet. However, one of the biggest names in sports took immediate notice of Blaze’s achievements and helped make sure the world wouldn’t forget this football prodigy anytime soon. NBA legend LeBron James helped Blaze go viral by posting a video of the young prodigy demolishing his competition during a Little League football game.
An endorsement from King James helped make Blaze famous, and he received similar support from Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans. Evans and James supporting Blaze helped prove to the world the kid has real talent. After all, it takes super athletic skill to recognize it in others!
A loving father makes all the difference
Once sports stars make it big, people often wonder what the secret to their success is. While young Blaze constantly trains and practices his craft, his own secret weapon is something of an open secret. His father, Ralph Ingram Sr., has served as his trainer and coach, and dear old dad has also helped manage his son’s robust social media presence.
The breakout football star first achieved viral fame back in 2018. Since then, Blaze’s father has continued to serve as a coach, mentor, manager, and anything else his son needs. Blaze might have been born with some level of amazing talent, but it’s clear that his father has made all the difference in helping him cultivate it.
Blaze keeps his sports skills strong
Blaze the Great is closing in on a million Instagram subscribers and still regularly posts awe-inspiring videos. If you haven’t seen them, though, you might be wondering what he has been up to since getting internet-famous in 2018. And the short answer is that he continues to grow his football skills and blow everyone away who sees him play.
Since then, the young man has set more track and field records, and he’s playing for a more intensive team. Specifically, he is playing for the Westchase Colts. This is a youth league based out of Tampa, Florida. As for Blaze, though, he’s just a few years away from playing football for any number of colleges that have already opened the door.
College scholarships are already lining up
Right now, Blaze the Great is really on top of the world. Thanks to his amazing skills, he already has a football scholarship offered to him by Florida A&M University. Here’s the kicker: he isn’t even in high school yet!
Many high schoolers fret over whether they will be able to get scholarships to the schools of their choice. However, Blaze has a full ride waiting for him at one of Florida’s biggest universities. And we’re willing to bet he will have plenty of similar offers by the time he graduates high school.
NFL dreams keep Blaze going
Despite those scholarship prospects, it’s not entirely clear if Blaze will go to college…at least, not right away. The reason is simple: for all these years, he has been driven by the singular goal of playing for the NFL, and he might just get an offer right out of high school.
That would be unthinkable for other football players, but Blaze isn’t just another athlete. And whatever his future holds, we’re confident he’ll be setting even more records as he approaches it.