Rylee Arnold is opening up about a chapter of her relationship that many couples dread — and explaining why she wouldn’t trade it. The Dancing with the Stars pro has revealed that she is “honestly grateful” for the long-distance dynamic she shares with boyfriend Walker Lyons, a college football tight end, because the challenges of being apart have deepened their emotional connection in ways that constant proximity might not have allowed.
Arnold, 21, and Lyons, a tight end at Brigham Young University, are navigating overlapping seasons that will keep them on opposite sides of the country for months. She is preparing for Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars, while he is competing in his first season with the BYU Cougars after transferring from USC. Rather than viewing the separation as a hurdle, Arnold describes it as something closer to a gift.
“It’s also a real good opportunity to see how you can handle long-distance,” she said during an interview with PEOPLE. “It’s a really hard situation to be put in in a relationship, but it also strengthens it so much.”
Who Is Rylee Arnold?
Rylee Arnold is a professional ballroom dancer who joined Dancing with the Stars as a pro in 2023, following in the footsteps of her older sister, Lindsay Arnold Cusick. Before joining the flagship series, she appeared on Dancing with the Stars: Junior in 2018.
At just 21 years old, Arnold has already become one of the most recognizable young pros on the show. She made her main-series debut in Season 32, partnered with reality television personality Harry Jowsey, and has since built a substantial social media following that follows her dance career and personal life.
For Season 35, Arnold is partnered with comedian and podcaster Connor Wood. Wood, who found success online under the name Fibula, described learning he would dance with Arnold as a reassuring moment. “I would’ve been stoked with anyone,” he told Page Six. “But seeing [Arnold], it’s just like, ‘OK, we’re gonna be OK.'”
Arnold has spoken about how much she admires her sister Lindsay’s ability to balance a demanding career with motherhood. “Lindsay is probably the hardest-working person I’ve ever met in my life,” she said. “I have so much respect for her. She’s amazing.”
Who Is Walker Lyons?
Walker Lyons is a tight end who transferred to Brigham Young University in 2026 after spending his freshman season at USC. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 235 pounds, and he is majoring in Real Estate Development.
Lyons came to USC as a highly touted recruit. ESPN ranked him the No. 2 tight end in the nation in his high school class, and he was selected to participate in the 2023 Under Armour All-American game, where he was honored as the All-American Bowl’s Man of the Year for his community service and athletic distinction.
Before arriving at USC, Lyons served an 18-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tromsø, Norway. He has spoken about how that experience shaped him. “By stepping away from football, school and things that I wanted, I was able to look outward and focus on helping others,” he said. “I grew so much mentally and emotionally.”
During his mission, he coached and volunteered with two Norwegian football teams, the Drammen Warriors and the Trondheim Vikings, mentoring children who were learning the American sport.
His transfer to BYU in January 2026 brought him closer to Arnold’s family, who are based in Provo, Utah.
Rylee Arnold and Walker Lyons’ Relationship
Arnold and Lyons first connected in a way that sounds more like a movie plot than real life. In December 2024, Arnold appeared on The Squeeze podcast and shared that she had met Lyons through an Uber driver.
“I get in this Uber. It’s this really nice lady,” Arnold recalled. “And we’re just like, talking about dance, and she’s talking about what she does. And also she was like, ‘Okay, this might sound really weird. Don’t take this the wrong way.'”
The driver told Arnold she had a nephew whom she thought Arnold would “really get along” with, and encouraged her to look him up on Instagram. Arnold was initially too nervous to act on the suggestion, but her sisters later convinced her to reach out. She discovered they had a “crazy amount of mutuals.”
“The fact we hadn’t met before is kind of crazy, but I think we met at the most perfect time in both of our lives,” she said.
Arnold confirmed their relationship in October 2024 with an Instagram post featuring photos of the couple embracing after one of Lyons’ games. Her caption was characteristically playful: “Is this a hard launch??”
The couple is open about their shared faith. Both Arnold and Lyons are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a detail that has become part of how they publicly discuss their relationship.
Why Rylee Arnold Says Long Distance Can Be a Good Thing
Arnold’s perspective on long distance is not the usual one. She does not describe it as something to be endured or minimized. She describes it as something that has actively improved her relationship.
“It makes your emotional connection so much deeper and I’m honestly grateful for it,” she said. “It’s a good opportunity for him to focus on his life and really excel and for me as well.”
That last point is important. Arnold frames the distance not just as a relationship dynamic but as a professional opportunity for both of them. Lyons gets to focus on establishing himself at BYU. Arnold gets to focus on a demanding DWTS season. Neither has to compromise their career momentum for the sake of being in the same zip code.
“We can still love each other, support each other aside and then when we see each other, it’s just that much better,” she said. “So I think it’s awesome, but it is really hard at the same time. You’ve just got to push through.”
The honesty in that final sentence matters. Arnold is not pretending the distance is easy. She is saying it is worthwhile.
How They Stay Connected
Arnold and Lyons maintain their connection through consistent, intentional communication. She has described their routine in straightforward terms: FaceTime every night, regular updates on each other’s lives, and a shared commitment to showing up for one another even from afar.
“We just FaceTime every single night, we keep each other updated,” she said.
In a separate interview, she added that they also send each other pictures on Snapchat “all the time.” The combination of video calls and casual photo exchanges creates a sense of daily presence that helps bridge the physical distance.
Arnold has acknowledged that the coming months will be particularly challenging. “We’re probably not going to see each other for the next three months,” she said ahead of the DWTS season. “But it’s awesome that we both are so busy that we can support each other and be there for each other. It’s going to be a roller coaster, but I know he’s so awesome and supportive, so it’s going to be great.”
Their Different Careers and Busy Schedules
The practical realities of their relationship are shaped by two demanding careers that operate on different calendars and in different parts of the country.
Arnold’s work on Dancing with the Stars involves months of intensive rehearsals, live performances, and promotional commitments. The show’s production schedule is notoriously demanding, with dancers and their celebrity partners logging long hours to prepare routines. She has described the pre-season period as a time to rest and mentally prepare “because once it gets started, it is the craziest, most stressful but super fun situation.”
Lyons’ commitments as a college football player are equally consuming. His transfer to BYU placed him in Provo, Utah, while Arnold’s DWTS work keeps her in Los Angeles. The geographic separation, combined with their professional obligations, means their relationship has to function on a different rhythm than most.
Arnold’s Instagram post announcing their return to long distance in July 2026 captured the reality with a mix of gratitude and realism. “I’m so very grateful for him and for what these next few months look like for us both,” she wrote.
Rylee Arnold and Dancing with the Stars
Arnold’s journey to the DWTS ballroom began with Dancing with the Stars: Junior in 2018. After that show’s cancellation, she joined the main series as a pro in 2023, following her sister Lindsay, who had stepped away from the show in 2021 after welcoming her first child.
Her rise on the show has been steady. She has spoken about the value of a strong personality in a dance partner. “Biggest thing is personality,” she said. “Like, willing to have fun, but also locked in, ready to work so hard, so excited for the experience, down-to-earth and grateful. Because if someone has that, you can literally make anything work.”
Season 35 premieres with a two-night event on September 15 and 16 on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu. Arnold’s partnership with Connor Wood is one of the season’s more anticipated pairings, blending her technical dance background with his comedic sensibility.
Walker Lyons’ Football Career
Lyons’ football journey has taken a less conventional path than many of his peers. After a standout high school career at Folsom High School in California, where he was rated a four-star recruit, he chose to serve a two-year mission in Norway before enrolling at USC.
He appeared in 11 games as a true freshman at USC in 2024, making three starts and recording six catches for 36 yards. His transfer to BYU in 2026 represents a homecoming of sorts — Provo is where Arnold’s family lives, and the move brought him closer to her support system even as it extended the physical distance between him and Arnold’s primary work base in Los Angeles.
The transfer also prompted speculation among fans about whether Arnold might eventually relocate to Utah. She has not publicly indicated any plans to leave Dancing with the Stars, and she is actively competing in Season 35.
Public Interest in Their Relationship
The relationship between Arnold and Lyons has attracted attention for several reasons. Arnold’s profile on DWTS has grown significantly since she joined the show, and her social media presence gives fans a window into her life beyond the ballroom. Lyons’ football career adds another dimension, drawing interest from sports audiences who might not otherwise follow a dance competition.
There is also the inherent appeal of their long-distance dynamic. Young couples navigating demanding careers in different cities is a relatable experience, even if the specific circumstances — a television dance competition and college football — are far from ordinary.
Their shared faith has also been a point of connection for some fans, particularly those familiar with the Latter-day Saint community. The couple has not shied away from discussing how their beliefs shape their relationship and their approach to public life.
What Rylee’s Comments Say About Their Relationship
Arnold’s comments about long distance offer a window into how she thinks about partnership. Her emphasis on emotional connection over physical proximity suggests a relationship that is grounded in communication and mutual respect rather than convenience.
She also frames the distance as something that benefits both individuals, not just the relationship. By supporting Lyons’ football career and pursuing her own DWTS commitments, she is demonstrating a belief that a healthy partnership allows both people to grow.
The fact that she describes the situation as “really hard” while also saying she is “grateful” for it reflects a mature understanding that worthwhile things often require effort. She is not presenting their relationship as effortless. She is presenting it as intentional.
What We Know About Their Future
Arnold and Lyons have not publicly announced any plans regarding engagement, marriage, living together, or any other major relationship milestone. Their current focus appears to be on their respective careers and on maintaining their connection across the distance.
Arnold’s Instagram post from July 2026, in which she expressed gratitude for “what these next few months look like for us both,” suggests they are taking the relationship one season at a time rather than projecting years into the future.
Any claims about their future beyond what they have publicly shared would be speculation, and neither has given any indication that major changes are imminent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rylee Arnold dating?
Rylee Arnold is dating Walker Lyons, a college football tight end who transferred to BYU in 2026. They confirmed their relationship in October 2024.
Who is Walker Lyons?
Walker Lyons is a tight end at Brigham Young University. He previously played at USC and served an 18-month Latter-day Saint mission in Norway before his college career.
Are Rylee Arnold and Walker Lyons still together?
Yes. Arnold has spoken publicly about their relationship in 2026, describing how they maintain their connection through FaceTime and regular communication despite being long distance.
Why are Rylee Arnold and Walker Lyons in a long-distance relationship?
Arnold is based in Los Angeles for Dancing with the Stars, while Lyons is in Provo, Utah, for football at BYU. Their respective seasons overlap, making it difficult to be in the same location.
How does Rylee Arnold handle a long-distance relationship?
Arnold says she and Lyons FaceTime every night and keep each other updated on their lives. She views the distance as an opportunity to strengthen their emotional connection and for both of them to focus on their careers.
What does Walker Lyons do?
Walker Lyons is a college football player. He plays tight end for BYU and previously played at USC.
Is Rylee Arnold still on Dancing with the Stars?
Yes. Arnold is competing in Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with comedian Connor Wood. The season premiered in September 2026.