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Love in the League: These NFL Power Couples Scored More Than A Touchdown With Each Other

Jerry Rice and Latisha Pelayo

While some couples take the plunge immediately, Jerry Rice and Latisha Pelayo took their sweet time. The former wide receiver proposed to his long-time girlfriend in 2018, then tied the knot a year later in Napa Valley.

Rice’s marriage to Pelayo is his second, as he was previously married to Bernice Mitchell. Ever since having left football, he has co-authored several books, appeared in a video game with his dog Nitus, and was a contestant in “Dancing With the Stars.”  

Adam Thielen and Caitlin Thielen

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen and his wife Caitlin have a pregame ritual: he searches the seats for her, so she stands up to wave. Seeing her is enough encouragement for Adam.

They were college sweethearts, although prior to their marriage, Caitlin was a substitute teacher before becoming a lifestyle blogger. Supportive of each other since the early days, they have channeled this as well to the Thielen Foundation, which focuses on youth development and as well as empowerment.

Jared Goff and Christen Harper

Celebrities do use dating apps, as Jared Goff and Christen Harper will attest. The Detroit Lions quarterback and “Sports Illustrated” model met through one. Goff, according to Harper, was very persistent, and it took her a while to agree to a date.

They got engaged in 2022. In between possibly planning for the big day, the couple does charity work. Harper volunteers for the non-profit Girls Inc. of L.A., and Goff donated $250K to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Matthew Stafford and Kelly Hall

Ready for another storybook match in sports? Fantastic because here’s Matthew Stafford and Kelly Hall. A football player and a cheerleader falling in love is nothing new, but when it lasts, it’s a different matter. They met during college at the University of Georgia.

Married since 2015, they were put to the test when Hall was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She underwent a twelve-hour surgery and then a long recovery period. Stafford was at her side the entire time.

Russell Wilson and Ciara

When two of the biggest stars in entertainment meet, a supernova romance follows. This is exactly what happened when Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and singer Ciara met in 2015. A wedding in 2016 and a kid in 2017 followed soon after.

Wilson and Ciara each have an impressive resume: she co-owns a rum brand, is a spokesperson for Revlon, and is a children’s book author; Wilson has endorsements with Nike, Pepsi, and Microsoft, plus a master’s in educational leadership and policy analysis.

Derek Carr and Heather Neel

Here’s another pair who have been in love since high school—quarterback Derek Carr and influencer Heather Neel. They actually met at a restaurant where Neel was waitressing. Carr got her attention by pointing out she was wearing only one earring.

The pair got married in 2012 and are parents to four children. They are quite active on social media, although Carr posts more about training and working during football season, while Neel shares lots of photos of their family.

Ryan Tannehill and Lauren Tannehill

Despite attending Texas A&M University together, Ryan and Lauren Tannehill didn’t cross paths. He was a biology major, and she studied psychology. So where did they meet? During Spring Break in Florida. Since then, they have been hardly apart.

The Tennessee Titans quarterback married his love in 2012. When the pair are not busy with their two children, they are busy with their charity foundation: Achieving Community and Education Success (ACES). They help secondary school students contribute to their communities.

Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews

Sports brought together quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews, who played pro soccer for a women’s team in Iceland. They started dating in high school. In fact, a throwback photo from their prom shared by  Mahomes with his Instagram followers garnered close to 10,000 likes.

Married since 2022, the couple has two little children. They are also co-owners of sports teams: the baseball team Kansas City Royals for him and the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team for her.

Josh Allen and Brittany Williams

It’s possible to marry a crush from childhood—just ask Brittany Williams. In an Instagram post, she revealed that Josh Allen, a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, has been a crush since they were eight years old. That’s right; they were also childhood friends.

It was not until college in 2017 that things took a romantic turn. Brittany, a former cheerleader for Fresno State, now cheers only for Josh. She is often a lively presence for her man during games.

Joe Montana and Jennifer Wallace

When a Super Bowl MVP and aspiring model and actress meet, fireworks are inevitable, right? Not really. Joe Montana, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers was instantly smitten by Jennifer Wallace, who had no idea who he was. 

They met while filming a commercial for Schick. She found him charming but shy. He asked her out and six months later, they were engaged. They got married in 1985 and settled down in San Francisco. They have four children. 

Jerry Rice and Latisha Pelayo

While some couples take the plunge immediately, Jerry Rice and Latisha Pelayo took their sweet time. The former wide receiver proposed to his long-time girlfriend in 2018, then tied the knot a year later in Napa Valley.

Rice’s marriage to Pelayo is his second, as he was previously married to Bernice Mitchell. Ever since having left football, he has co-authored several books, appeared in a video game with his dog Nitus, and was a contestant in “Dancing With the Stars.”  

Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek

Together since 2015, Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek still have to put a ring on it as of 2022. Despite this, Kostek has always been a vocal supporter of her long-time partner—not surprising since she was a professional cheerleader.

Gronkowski initially left football in 2019, for reasons of mental health. But one season later, he signed on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then in 2022, he announced his retirement again, this time for good. They look forward to a fresh, new lifestyle together.

Drew Brees and Brittany Dudchenko

Former quarterback Drew Brees first took his shot with Brittany Dudchenko—but with disastrous results. But he tried again a few months later. Maybe because he was sober and used no line, she gave him another chance. They got married in 2003.

With football behind him, Brees has kept busy. Besides raising three children with his wife, he also owns restaurants and provides support for patients with cancer through the Brees Dream Foundation. He also makes regular tours with the USO.

Eric Johnson and Jessica Simpson

Married since 2014, former NFL tight end Eric Johnson and singer Jessica Simpson prove that sports and pop music go well together.

In 2020, Simpson published her memoir, “Open Book,” which became a global best-seller. Johnson never misses a chance to praise her, sometimes with hilarious results. When he tagged her in a birthday greeting on his Instagram page back in 2021, he thought she was turning 39 years old. Fans had to correct him: she was already 41.

Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles

A gymnast would always need a safety of sorts. Just ask Simone Biles. In 2020, the Olympic gold medalist and Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owen became a couple. The romance began how relationships begin nowadays: through a dating app. Yup, the couple met on Raya. 

Owens had confessed to having no idea who Biles was when they met—a fact that pleased her. They became Instagram official in 2020. In February 2022, Owens popped the question, and naturally, she said yes.

Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo

When it comes to a couple who support each other, look no further than San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo, who was Miss Universe in 2012. They show true love lasts.

Their romance began in 2019. Since then, they have continued to grow together and gush about each other on social media. Culpo absolutely loves to cheer him on, especially before games. McCaffrey, meanwhile, couldn’t hide his excitement when she landed the “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition” cover.

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