Hayden Panettiere and Scotty McKnight Spotted on Date

Hayden Panettiere may have found her rebound guy – and he’s not Mark Sanchez, as the actress herself was quick to deny. Photos of Hayden and Scotty McKnight on a lunch date have emerged online, sparking romance rumors once more.

The sudden interest in the star’s love life comes after the shocking separation from boxer Wladimir Klitschko, whom she dated and was inseparable from for about 2 years.

Shortly after, she was spotted out with Sanchez, as we also noted at the time, but she denied any romance by saying simply she was a sporty girl who liked sports – and hanging out with those who performed them.

As it turns out, before that, she stepped out with McKnight, which can either be a coincidence or confirmation that she’s moving on from Wladimir.

“Though the ‘Scream 4’ star announced her split from boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko on May 12, she was spotted just eight days later getting touchy-feely with a new guy: Football pro Scotty McKnight,” TooFab writes.

Indeed, in the photos made available, Scotty and Hayden do seem to be at least very good friends, if not actually more, judging by their body language.

“Hayden, 21, and Scotty, 23, were snapped leaving lunch together at Mel's Diner in LA on May 20 – where they were both smiling as McKnight rubbed Panettiere’s shoulders,” the aforementioned e-zine also notes.

“Coming in at 5’11”, the New York Jets wide receiver is definitely closer in height to Hayden than her ex, who towered over the tiny star at 6’6”,” says the same media outlet.

As for what went wrong with Wladimir, shortly after they broke up, he said in a statement that long-distance relationships never work, hinting that it was too hard for them to be together, what with their schedules and current residence.

Since there was no third party involved in the split and because they both handled it like adults, Hayden and Wladimir remain good friends.