'They're All Clowns': Ryan Lochte Fires Back After Being Dragged For Looking 'Unrecognizable' in Video Announcing New Gig
Fans compared Ryan Lochte's new look to members of the 'Jersey Shore' cast and more.
May 15 2026, Updated 3:57 p.m. ET
Former Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte was forced to clap back at trolls after fans declared the gold medalist looked "unrecognizable" in a shocking new video, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Lochte, 41, shared via Instagram that he’s headed to Missouri State University as an assistant swim coach, but instead of celebrating the career move, stunned fans flooded the comments section, insisting the former Olympian looked nothing like himself.
Ryan Lochte Unveils New Look While Announcing Career Pivot
Ryan Lochte looked unrecognizable in his coaching announcement.
Referring to himself in the third person, he announced, "Plot twist. Ryan Lochte is officially becoming Coach Lochte," in his social media announcement.
"After spending half my life staring at the black line at the bottom of a pool, I decided it's time to help the next generation do the same thing," the 12-time Olympic medalist shared.
While noting that swimming gave him an "incredible career and memories," Lochte explained, "Over the last couple of years, something so unexpected happened. I might actually be more passionate about coaching than competing."
While claiming he had a "pretty good" swimming career, Lochte boasted that he thinks he'll be an even better swim coach.
"I traded in my goggles for a stopwatch, and I'm not gonna lie, it looks pretty good on me," he added with his trademark swagger.
Ryan Lochte Calls His Critis 'Clowns' Over Being Called 'Unrecognizable'
A number of fans claimed Ryan Lochte looked unrecognizable.
While Lochte gushed about how "excited" he was to join the school’s swimming program, it wasn’t his new coaching gig that had fans buzzing — it was the athlete’s dramatically changed appearance.
The heavily tanned six-time gold medalist was sporting a stubbly beard and appeared to have put on a bit of weight, and some fans didn't realize he was the same person who dominated the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
"Literally does not look like him," one person commented, while several claimed that with his hair and beard, he looked very similar to FBI Director Kash Patel.
"Everyone is saying Kash Patel, but I see Jersey Shore GTL vibes," a second wrote about how he appeared to look like a member of the famed MTV reality cast.
"Is that Joey Fatone?" a third person asked, believing Lochte bore a strong resemblance to the N'Sync member.
"Whoa. He looks like a completely different person," a fourth fan observed, as a fifth wrote, "WTF, who is that and where’s Ryan?"
Lochte later responded to the critics of his looks, saying "they're all clowns," and asked in an Instagram story, "I guess aging is frowned upon?! What is happening lol."
Ryan Lochte's Illustrious Olympic Career
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte celebrated their medal wins at the 2012 London Olympics.
Lochte is one of the most decorated swimmers in U.S. history. He was a star of four Summer Olympics, competing in the Athens, Beijing, London and Rio games between 2004 and 2016.
During his career, he amassed 6 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals and was part of winning relay teams alongside Olympic G.O.AT. Michael Phelps.
While Lochte has never officially retired from swimming, he last competed at the June 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials after the games were pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He finished 7th, failing to qualify for a fifth Olympic swim squad.
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Ryan Lochte's Life After Olympic Glory
Ryan Lochte has been dating girlfriend Molly Gillihan ever since his 2025 divorce from Kayla Rae Reid.
Outside of swimming, Lochte tried his hand at reality TV, competing on Season 23 of Dancing With the Stars, Season 2 of Celebrity Big Brother, Season 1 of The Traitors and Season 30 of The Worst Cooks in America.
The athlete married former Playboy Playmate Kayla Rae Reid in 2018. The duo welcomed a son and two daughters before she filed for divorce in 2025, calling their seven-year marriage "irretrievably broken."
Lochte has since moved on with his current girlfriend, kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan.
