While NFL players have their natural talent, extreme discipline, and hours of training to thank for their performance on the football field, their significant others play a part in their thriving careers. Not only do these athletes’ wives and girlfriends boost their morale by cheering them on from the stands, but they also offer emotional support behind the scenes, helping their partner cope with heartbreaking losses and nurse football-related injuries—often in addition to juggling impressive careers of their own.
These professional athletes are more than the plays they run and the touchdowns they score on game day, though. Despite their jam-packed schedules, outside of the stadium, many of these football players prioritize nurturing their romantic relationships, whether they’ve been married with kids for years or they’re exclusively dating. These couples go on date nights, such as grabbing dinner at a restaurant or attending red carpet events, and maintain private home lives, like cooking dinner together or playing with their kids.
To give you a glimpse inside of these football stars’ personal lives, we’ve rounded up 14 of our favorite NFL couples. Read on to learn about their dreamy love stories.
of 14
Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews
Patrick Mahomes might be a Super Bowl champion now, but his wife, Brittany Matthews, was right by his side back when the Kansas City Chiefs player was a high school quarterback in Texas. The two continued to date throughout high school and college, and once Mahomes was drafted to the NFL, Matthews was still beside him.
After winning the Super Bowl in 2020, Mahomes proposed to Matthews at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Ring Ceremony, so they both left the event with dazzling new bling. To top off their whirlwind year, the couple announced they were expecting a baby girl just a few weeks after their engagement, and they welcomed Sterling Skye in February 2021. The couple tied the knot in a romantic wedding in Hawaii on March 12, 2022, and that same year, Patrick “Bronze” Lavon was born. Now, the spouses are getting ready for another addition to their family.
of 14
Russell Wilson and Ciara Wilson
When Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson and Grammy-winning artist Ciara Wilson first linked up in 2015, the world could hardly grasp how one couple could possess so much talent. Since making their public debut at a White House state dinner, Russell and Ciara have gone on to marry in a stunning (and secret) ceremony at an English castle, welcome three children together, and even become partial owners of a soccer team.
They’ve also continued to support each other’s individual ventures: Russell proudly posed in a campaign for the singer’s clothing line, and Ciara even sported her husband’s jersey number and Super Bowl ring at the Met Gala.
of 14
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have been dominating headlines ever since the Kansas City Chiefs tight end admitted that he tried to give the “Lover” singer his number at one of her Eras tour concerts in 2023. At first, their romance was all speculation, but when Swift started making appearances in the Kelce family’s suite and the talented duo were spotted together on the streets of New York City, the public took it as evidence of their blossoming love. It wasn’t until December 2023 that the Grammy-winning artist confirmed her feelings for Kelce in an interview for Time’s 2023 Person of the Year.
Since then, the couple has been continuously showing up for one another, with Swift storming the field after Kelce helped his team win Super Bowl LVIII and Kelce briefly joining Swift onstage during her London show.
of 14
Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles
Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles might just be one of the most athletic couples out there. The Chicago Bears safety and the Olympic gold medalist started dating in 2020, a few months after Biles slid into Owens’s DMs. Two years later, on Valentine’s Day in 2022, the football player popped the question. The following year, the couple legally wed in a courthouse wedding before throwing a larger celebration with friends and family in Cabo San Lucas a couple of weeks later.
Besides supporting one another in their sporting endeavors, the duo loves playing with their three bulldogs and spending time with one another. “We’re with each other 24/7, so I feel like now when we’re not with each other, it’s almost weird,” Biles told Today in February 2022. “We’re always texting or calling each other.”
of 14
Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo
As the highest-paid running back in the NFL, San Francisco 49ers player Christian McCaffrey is used to outrunning his opponents by a long shot. With his wife, Olivia Culpo, though, McCaffrey matches her speed. The professional athlete and former Miss Universe first started dating in 2019, and four years later, the running back popped the question in Utah, presenting Culpo with a three-stone diamond ring. The following year, they said “I do” in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The newlyweds also share a toy poodle, Oliver Sprinkles, together.
of 14
Matthew Stafford and Kelly Stafford
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly Stafford, have been together since their college days. The couple first linked up at the University of Georgia when she was a cheerleader and he was the starting quarterback. Since tying the knot in April 2015, they’ve been raising their four daughters, Sawyer, Chandler, Hunter, and Tyler. Kelly regularly posts photos of the adorable squad cheering on their superstar dad both at home and at SoFi stadium.
Matthew has credited a lot of his wins to his wife. “I couldn’t have done it without her,” Matthew said at a press conference following his NFC Championship win in January 2022. “She’s an unbelievable part of my life. She’s been through a lot with me, and we’ve leaned on each other at separate times to help ourselves get whatever we’re having to get through.”
of 14
Zach Ertz and Julie Ertz
Another NFL couple with a lot of athleticism is Zach Ertz and Julie Ertz. Naturally, the tight end for the Washington Commanders and the former U.S. women’s soccer team player met while attending a sporting event: After the two crossed paths at a baseball game at Stanford University in 2012, the rest was history. It was a full-circle moment four years later when Zach proposed at that same baseball field. They got married the following year in Santa Clara, California.
Throughout their relationship, the pair has cheered one another along during every win and loss. When Zach won the Super Bowl in 2018, Julie was there to support him, and when Julie competed in the World Cup in 2019, Zach was rooting for her.
of 14
Kirk Cousins and Julie Hampton
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins met his now-wife, Julie Hampton, through a family friend in 2012, and they clicked so much that they got engaged the following year and wed shortly after that. The married duo has gone on to welcome two sons, Cooper and Turner. While Cousins’ main career entails calling plays and moving the ball down the field, he also runs a charity and owns a golf course with his wife.
of 14
Jalen Hurts and Bry Burrows
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts typically keeps his personal life out of the limelight, but after he helped his team beat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championships in January 2023, he walked out onto the field, holding hands with a special someone, Bry Burrows. Later that year, he confirmed his relationship with Burrows, whom he’s been dating on and off since they met at the University of Alabama. While the pair doesn’t make many public sightings and keeps their private lives off of social media, Hurts revealed that he intends on marrying Burrows in the future.
of 14
Jake Funk and Hannah Ann Sluss
Before Hannah Ann Sluss’s relationship with Detroit Lions running back Jake Funk began, she won season 24 of The Bachelor in 2019, culminating in a proposal from Peter Weber. They eventually called off their engagement, though. In 2022, Funk slid into the reality TV star’s DMs, which led to the NFL star getting down on one knee in January 2023 in Cabo San Lucas. In June 2024, they traded vows in an intimate ceremony in Italy.
of 14
Brock Purdy and Jenna Brandt
Before he became the starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy was a football player at Iowa State University, which is when he met his now-wife, Jenna Brandt, who was a volleyball setter for the school’s team. After getting engaged in 2023, the couple went back to Iowa the following year to get married. When Purdy made his Super Bowl debut in 2024, Brandt was there to cheer him on.
of 14
Kenny Pickett and Amy Paternoster
Kenny Pickett’s relationship with Amy Paternoster began way before he became Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback. While they were growing up in New Jersey, the two trained at the same spot—Paternoster for soccer and Pickett for football. Although they didn’t talk much, when they were back in town on college break in 2021, they hit it off and started seeing one another romantically. In January 2022, they got engaged, and they married a year later back in their hometown.
of 14
Jared Goff and Christen Harper
Jared Goff, quarterback for the Detroit Lions, met Christen Harper, a model and actress, on the dating app Raya in 2019. Three years later, Goff proposed to Harper while they were vacationing in Mexico with friends. On June 22, 2024, they tied the knot in Ojai, California.
of 14
Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was first romantically linked to his girlfriend, Sarah Jane Ramos, in September 2023. A few weeks after going public with their partnership, they announced that they’re expecting their first child together. In March 2024, they welcomed a Leap Day baby.