Braxton Berrios is perhaps best known for his tie to prominent social media influencer Alix Earle. The two dated for more than two years before splitting in December 2025, and their story played out again this fall in Earle's Netflix series.
Now Berrios is making headlines for a tougher reason as the New York Giants return specialist announced on Instagram that he'll undergo season-ending surgery on his foot and ankle.
Alix Earle and Braxton Berrios first met at a Miami party in February 2023 but kept it friendly at first, since he had just come out of a two-year relationship with Sophia Culpo. Earle publicly confirmed the romance that November, after the two had walked the 2023 ESPYs red carpet together.
The relationship ended during Earle's breakout run on Dancing with the Stars . Berrios was playing for the Houston Texans and splitting time between Texas and Miami, while Earle's schedule changed dramatically during Season 34. She confirmed the December 2025 split on TikTok, saying the distance had been very hard and that she didn't feel she could be what Berrios needed.
Earle has stayed in the headlines since. She was linked to Tom Brady after the two were seen together at New Year's Eve celebrations and later at the College Football National Championship. In an episode of her Netflix series Earle Meets World, released September 4, 2026, she downplayed the Brady buzz and said she was doing well after the breakup. That said, throughout the series, Earle did not completely rule out the two eventually getting back together, as the season ended in the middle of the two of them having a conversation about their future.
Berrios signed with the New York Giants this offseason and has been serving as the team's kickoff and punt returner. Unfortunately, his season has already come to a close as he announced on Instagram that he will be having season-ending surgery on his foot and ankle.
"Two of my last three seasons ended this way, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't miserable right now," Berrios wrote in his post. "I felt I belonged here this year, and everything finally fell in place. Now it feels like everything I've poured into the last nine months is gone in the blink of an eye. The timing that I thought had arrived feels like a punishment again, but the good news about God is I know it's coming. Maybe not when we want but always on time. Time to rebuild. Pray for the Bear."
As Berrios alluded, this is the second season-ending injury that he has sustained in his career, as he also missed most of the 2024 season after suffering a torn ACL in Week 7 when he was with the Miami Dolphins.
After appearing in 16 or more games throughout the first five seasons of his NFL career, Berrios has appeared in just 14 games combined over the past six seasons, including a number of healthy scratches last season. The 31-year-old receiver and return specialist has been struggling to find a consistent place in the league over the past few seasons, and this season-ending injury certainly won't help his career.
The post 'Gone in the blink of an eye': Alix Earle ex Braxton Berrios 'miserable' after bad news in NFL career appeared first on The Comeback: Today's Top Sports Stories & Reactions .
