PureWow 100 Alum Toni Harris, the First Aspiring Female NFL Player, Stars in New Super Bowl Spot

Published Jan 30, 2019

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4:34pm

Since kindergarten, PureWow 100 alum Antoinette “Toni” Harris has had aspirations of going to the Super Bowl. Now, she’s making strides toward making that dream a reality.

The 21-year-old Detroit native stars in Toyota’s new Super Bowl commercial about eschewing assumptions. And why? Well, Harris is the first woman to receive a scholarship to play a non-kicker position on any collegiate football team as a defensive back for East Los Angeles College. She’s tenacious and she’s received several offers to play from universities around the country, but her sights are set on something bigger: becoming the first woman to play in the NFL. Oh, and did we mention she was also homecoming queen?

Harris isn’t following the road most traveled, in fact, she’s trailblazing her own path and making room for young women in the all-male industry of football. She reflected on changing the tides of football during an exclusive interview with PureWow, saying, “It’s an honor and a privilege to be in [this] position. I take it seriously and hope I inspire other women to never let anything stand in the way of their dreams.”

Despite the difficulty that comes with being “the first” anything, Harris is keeping her eye on the (field) goal thanks to the support of her family and friends. Harris joked that her phone “blew up” when her loved ones first saw the commercial. She continued, “My family and friends have been so supportive and they are so excited for me. And they can’t wait to see it during the game!” (Same.)

This might be the first time we see Harris on the Super Bowl screen, but she’s adamant that it won’t be her last. She tells PureWow, “No, it’s not [the last time]! You can count on that.”

Tune in to watch Harris’s brand-new Toyota commercial when the Super Bowl airs on Sunday, February 3, at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on CBS.

Lex Goodman

Cat mom, yogi, brunch enthusiast

Lex is an LA native who's deeply obsessed with picnics, Slim Aarons, rosé, Hollywood history and Joan Didion. She joined PureWow in early 2017.

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