Kicking off season 22 of American Idol tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, the show is already making headlines as this will be the last season with judge Katy Perry. Having spent numerous seasons on the show, she leaves behind judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. But while marking the end of her American Idol career, a former NFL player is looking to steal the spotlight as he hopes to not only compete but become the next American Idol.
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For Blake Proehl, football is more than a part of his life, it is a part of his family. Before Blake took the field, he watched as his father, Ricky Proehl, won multiple Super Bowls over a 17-year career. And three of those were spent with the Carolina Panthers as a wide receiver. His brother, Austin Proehl, ended up drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 2018 NFL Draft. And following his family, Blake played for East Carolina University before signing with the Minnesota Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft. Sadly, he missed his rookie season due to a torn ACL. The Vikings eventually waived him in 2023.
Blake Proehl Gains Praise From ‘American Idol’ Judge
Releasing a promotion video for the American Idol season premiere tonight on ABC, Blake discusses his past, admitting, “I grew up in a football family. But I got a really bad injury. Doctors said ‘It’ll be a success story if you’re able to run again.’” While focusing on his recovery, the football player gained 600,000 followers on TikTok after posting videos of him covering songs like “Wish You The Best” and “Someone You Loved.” He even shared a video of him playing the piano and singing. The video received 4 million likes.
With his grandmother by his side, the video showed Blake auditioning in front of the judges. He told them during the process, “I think I just found music super healing, and my grandma is the reason why I’m here. She’s the reason why I have any confidence at all to be in this room.”
Singing “In Case You Didn’t Know” by Brett Young, Blake received high praise from Perry. “Every grandma thinks that their grandchildren are great, but you’re right.”
Be sure to tune in tonight to cheer on Blake as he starts his American Idol journey.
(Image via ABC Stream / American Idol Youtube)
