The worlds of the NFL and NBA collided on Saturday night, as San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle was caught stealing a beer from Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
The hilarious moment occurred during the first night of at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where both athletes were seated ringside to take in the festivities.
In a viral clip shared by ESPN, Haliburton – a two-time NBA All-Star – was seen holding a beer cup while engaging with the crowd after appearing on the big screen.
However as he did so, Kittle, a well-known WWE superfan, reached over and snatched the drink from Haliburton’s hand, before proceeding to chug it.
Haliburton appeared to take the ‘theft’ in stride, laughing along with the 49ers star as the Allegiant Stadium crowd roared in approval of the crossover moment.
The incident was just one of many highlights from a celebrity-heavy opening night that featured appearances from a number of other sports icons.
San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle was caught ‘stealing’ a beer from Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton at WrestleMania 42
Kittle, a well-known WWE superfan, snatched the drink from Haliburton’s hand
Fans on social media were quick to react to the antics, with one writing: ‘Love my 49ers and WWE. Hope one day I can chug beers with Kittle at WrestleMania.’
The lighthearted exchange served as a brief reprieve for Haliburton, whose Pacers are currently navigating a high-stakes postseason run.
For Kittle, the appearance further cements his status as the NFL’s unofficial ambassador to the WWE, having previously made several cameos at major events.
The majority of stars in attendance were greeted with applause after being shown on the big screen in the stadium, yet Stephen A. Smith was instead subjected to boos from the fans in attendance.
However, the sports personality didn’t seem to care one bit.
As the jeers grew louder, Smith wasn’t fazed in the slightest as he shut his eyes and leant back with his arms stretched out, before laughing as he returned to his seat.
Haliburton appeared to take the ‘theft’ in stride, laughing along with the 49ers star as the Allegiant Stadium crowd roared in approval
He was likely in attendance on the night due to the fact WrestleMania – the biggest WWE event of the year – is being broadcast on ESPN for the very first time.
The first hours of the show were broadcast on ESPN’s cable channel, before the most eagerly-awaited matches later in the night are shown on streaming platform ESPN+.
Smith, who recently signed an ESPN deal rumored to be worth around $20million annually, has flirted with the possibility of running for president over the past 18 months.
Yet during a guest appearance on friend Sean Hannity’s Fox News podcast, he admitted a White House run may not actually be in the cards.
