The Arnold sisters have long been a staple on the “Dancing with the Stars” roster of pro dancers. First there was Lindsay Arnold who made waves during her time on the cast, notably winning the coveted Mirrorball Trophy in Season 25 when she was partnered with celebrity Jordan Fisher. When Lindsay Arnold left the show to marry Sam Cusick – officially becoming Lindsay Arnold Cusick – her younger sister, Rylee Arnold, took over as a pro on the dance floor.
But in light of a recently announced major life update made by Rylee’s boyfriend, NCAA tight end Walker Lyons, the buzz around Rylee Arnold retiring from the ‘DWTS’ cast is beginning to seem like it could be a little more concrete. Here’s what to know about Rylee Arnold’s future on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Rylee Arnold & USC TE Walker Lyons Met in Los Angeles
Rylee Arnold has shared that she was first connected with her now-boyfriend Walker Lyons through an Uber ride she shared with his aunt, who encouraged Rylee to reach out to her nephew given that Lyons was on the University of Southern California (USC) football team at the time. Given her location to the university and her contractual commitment to be present in Los Angeles for “Dancing with the Stars” filming and rehearsals, Arnold and Lyons were able to meet in-person – and the rest is history!
Over the course of their two-year relationship, Rylee Arnold has been spotted at numerous USC games showing her support for tight end Walker Lyons. However, there may be a wrinkle in their love story because the city that has brought both Arnold and Lyons together is no longer a mutual zip code. Walker Lyons recently announced that he has left USC and accepted a position on the Brigham Young University (BYU) football team instead. This means that the decision by Lyons to transfer schools breaks up the geographical proximity once shared by the couple.
Leaving Los Angeles Hints at Lyons, Arnold’s Future Together
GettyWalker Lyons and DWTS pro Rylee Arnold attend the Los Angeles premiere of Universal Pictures “Wicked” together.
Rylee Arnold has been living in Los Angeles for several years now, but her future in SoCal seems uncertain now that her long-term boyfriend has transferred schools and moved away from where she is contractually obligated to be for “Dancing with the Stars.” But where he has transferred to makes all the difference in this situation. That’s because BYU is located in Provo, Utah – Rylee Arnold’s hometown!
This brings Lindsay Arnold back into the conversation, too. Brigham Young University is located in Provo, which is also the city where Lindsay Arnold Cusick moved back to after she left “Dancing with the Stars” to settle down and start a family with her husband. The move by Lyons to transfer to BYU, and knowing that Lindsay lives in the area and how close the Arnold sisters are to one another, could hint that Rylee Arnold will follow in her older sister’s footsteps by moving to Provo, UT when she decides to exit the ‘DWTS’ pro cast.
But when Rylee Arnold will make her exit from “Dancing with the Stars” is still a milestone of unknown timing. Many fans and observers have noted that her performance this past season wasn’t as strong was it was anticipated to be, which may not bode well when it comes to contract renewals for Season 35 this summer – or perhaps Rylee Arnold will decide not to continue with ‘DWTS’ on her own terms to instead make the move to Provo to be by her long-term boyfriend and in close proximity to her sister. Only time will tell the final outcome of this conundrum, but Walker Lyons’ transfer from playing for the USC Trojans to committing as a tight end on the BYU Cougars’ football team certainly fuels the speculation that Rylee Arnold may be spending more time in Utah and less time in California from now on.
BYU TE Walker Lyons Gives Update That Hints Girlfriend Rylee Arnold May Exit ‘DWTS’