Kate Upton Cozies Up to Detroit Tigers Star Justin Verlander

By Andrea Billups

02/01/2014 at 12:30 PM EST

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Maybe it was their Michigan connection. Or maybe it was simply a mutual love of the game.

Supermodel Kate Upton and Detroit Tigers pitching ace Justin Verlander put rumors of a relationship to rest Friday, happily posing for photos at the 2014 GQ Super Bowl Party in N.Y.C.

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Dressed in matching black – Upton in a sleeveless dress and Verlander, 30, in a tweed blazer – the couple snuggled together at the bash, which was also attended by Fox sportscaster Erin Andrews and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Upton, 21, made waves across the Motor City last year when she showed up for Tigers games, sparking rumors of a relationship with the 2011 Cy Young Award winner and Virginia native, with whom she frequently jokes on Twitter.

The two-time Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover girl split from Dancing with the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy in December after dating for six months.

Upton stars in Super Bowl spots with Tracy Morgan, who teaches her how to do a proper touchdown dance.

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