Quinn Hughes goes viral after appearing drunk in NBC interview following Team USA hockey gold medal victory

Quinn Hughes could barely stand still, but Team USA did not mind one bit. Just minutes after the United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal, Hughes went live on NBC and looked like he had already started the party.

The 26-year-old defenseman slurred his words while speaking to NBC host Mike Tirico. His brother Jack Hughes and goalie Connor Hellebuyck stood close, almost holding him up as he talked.The United States had just won its first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” So the mood was loud, proud, and emotional. During the interview, Quinn Hughes thanked “our troops for allowing us to play this game” and repeated the line twice.

He also thanked fans back home and called the moment “very special.” Before it ended, teammate Dylan Larkin jumped in with a drink in his hand and shouted hello to Mike Tirico.

Jack Hughes scores winner as Quinn Hughes, Connor Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin celebrate historic Team USA hockey gold medal

The wild interview came right after Jack Hughes scored the overtime goal that sealed the win against Canada. It was a tight game from start to finish, but the United States found the final push when it mattered most.Later, at the postgame press conference, the players were calmer and more clear.

Jack Hughes spoke about the long road to this moment. “Your whole life you’re always going up against things,” he said. “There’s always new challenges. Every single player in that game went through so many things. It’s a journey, the whole lifetime of work. I’m just a part of that.”Head coach Mike Sullivan said the team could feel support from back home. He shared that many fans woke up early to watch the game from the United States.

He even said the president was watching.Soon after the win, President Donald Trump called the team to congratulate them. “Congratulations, that was an unbelievable game,” Trump told the players. He invited them to the White House and also asked them to attend the State of the Union address on February 24. The team said they planned to celebrate first in Miami.The celebration was loud. The party was real. And Quinn Hughes’ interview showed just how much the gold medal meant to Team USA.